Miracles and Mistletoes
by KiltedEngineer
Summary: Sequel to the story "Bad Girls with Big Hearts". The Christmas season has once again hit Peach Creek, and with tree lightings, holiday cookies, sledding, and a winter ball dance, the kids have a lot to look forward to. Unfortunately, the presence of a childhood rival, resurfacing of traumatic pasts , and innocent confusion over gifts could ruin more than just the holiday season.
1. Chapter 1

_To all reading._

 _KiltedEngineer here. It's been a while since I've picked up the pen and decided to write down some new ideas. I hope everyone is doing well._

 _For the last few months, I have been in close contact with a fan of my story "Bad Girls with Big Hearts" named d4ry1Dxon. We have been conversing about Ed, Edd n' Eddy, specifically the fanon created by Bad Girls with Big Hearts._

 _I have been toying with the idea of writing a sequel for some time, but could not seem to come up with a good plot line/idea to implement it. Well it seems that one day, d4ry1Dxon suggested some ideas for a Christmas story involving the Eds and the Kankers post BGwBH, and I instantly gravitated toward the idea. Thank you so much for the idea. I will work hard on this and hopefully it will be complete by Christmas._

SPOILER ALERT: This contains spoilers from Bad Girls with Big Hearts. This is meant to be read with the knowledge of the events that ocurred in Bad Girls with Big Hearts.

 _Without further ado, the sequel to BGwBH and brand spanking new Ed, Edd n Eddy Christmas special._

 **Ed Edd n' Eddy in**

 **Miracles and Mistletoes**

 **Chapter 1**

It was 6:00 a.m. ; the sun's rays had just begun to peak over the mountains, bathing the distant city in it's light. Peach Creek itself was quite tranquil, as all of it's denizens were still under the cover of their bed sheets, immersed in the world of dreams.

This new day came with significance; it was the first day of December; the unofficial start of the Christmas season in Peach Creek. With the introduction of Yuletide, several changes had occurred in the small town. Every street light pole lining the main thoroughfare of the business district was decorated with a Christmas wreaths, colorful lights, and pictures of Saint Nick. The department stores had set up their elaborate window displays, complete with the years hottest new gifts, as well as traditional extensive train displays. Outside of the towns most popular restaurant, a man playing Santa Claus had already set up camp, ringing a bell outside the door, in an attempt to procure a charitable donation from early breakfast seekers. Inside the restaurant, customers were enjoying coffee and the breakfast meal of their choice, conversing happily while classic Christmas music played over the PA system. The temperature was quite chilly, around 35 degrees, typical of the time of year.

It had been a few months since those unlikely, yet faithful events that brought the Ed's and the Kanker sisters together. All of the young men and women of the Rathink Avenue Cul-de-Sac (with the exception of Sarah and Jimmy) had graduated middle school last spring, and had embarked on their journey as freshmen at Peach Creek High School. The school environment was quite different at first, but it only took a few days for the young men and women to normalize, due to the strong bonds they developed as middle schoolers.

Around a half hour after the sun had come up, Eddy's alarm clock jarred the adolescent out of his dreams. As the alarm rang, Eddy groaned and stirred in his bed. The droopy eyed boy finally roused, and managed to silence the alarm clock by throwing it against the bedroom wall. He laid back down on top of his round, seventies-style mattress, and proceeded to rebury himself in his comfortable quilt. While Eddy had mostly grown out of his mischievous ways, he was still less than enthusiastic about going to school.

As Eddy began to drift back into his dreams, the sliding door to his bedroom opened. Eddy had been late for school the last few days, due to his unwillingness to get out of bed on time and was facing disciplinary action if the tardiness continued. His two best friends, the intelligent Double Dee, and the friendly yet oafish gentle giant Ed, had decided to assist their friend by acting as his backup alarm clock.

Double Dee walked towards Eddys solitary bed room window, and grabbed the pull chain to the blinds. With a quick tug, the blinds opened rapidly, flooding the bedroom with the bright golden rays of the morning sun.

"Good morning Eddy," said Double Dee rather enthusiastically, "As promised, Ed and I are here to assist in your morning routine to ensure your timely arrival to our beloved educational institute."

Eddy groaned, after which he rolled over to avoid the bright light.

"Wakey Wakey mister!" yelled Ed, after which he grabbed a hold of Eddy's quilt with both of his hands. With one swift motion, the large Ed boy yanked the quilt away from the bed, leaving Eddys body completely exposed. He was dressed in his typical bed time attire, a white wife beater tank top and yellow and green striped boxer shorts. He quickly curled up in a fetal position, folding his arms and crossing his legs in an attempt to quell the effects of the cold winter air hitting his body.

"Come now Eddy," said Double Dee with a smile as he walked towards Eddys position. He took a seat on the edge of the bed, "If I recall, the school administration has issued an ultimatum regarding your inability to be punctual, and you will be faced with disciplinary action if you accrue one more lateness in this semester."

Eddy reused to budge, at which point Double Dee decided to employ his ace in the hole.

"Very well," said Double Dee, after which he turned to Ed, "Ed, commence our backup plan."

"Aye, Aye Double Dee", said Ed as he made a salute with his right hand, after which he walked towards his stout friend. Ed grabbed Eddy, and lifted his slump body over his right shoulder.

"C'mon mister," said Ed as he began walking Eddy towards his bathroom, "Let get you ready for school."

Ed, (carrying Eddy), and Double Dee made their way to Eddy's bathroom. Upon reaching the door, Double Dee proceeded to open it and turn on the light. Ed carried Eddy over toward the marble vanity sink, which was complimented by a large mirror mounted directly above it. Double Dee grabbed a styrofoam cup out of the dispenser located next to the sink, and proceeded to fill it with ice cold water.

"Very well Eddy," said Double Dee, "I apologize for what I am about to do, but you leave me no choice."

In one swift motion, Double Dee splashed the cup of freezing water directly into Eddy's face. Eddy instantly perked up as he let out a scream, his eyes now wide with surprise, in addition his teeth chattered at what seemed like super sonic speed.

"Well." said Double Dee as he giggled slightly, "That seemed to do the trick."

"What the hell was that!?" yelled Eddy, "I asked you to make sure I got up today, not give me frostbite."

"Well you weren't responding to any of our gentler methods, so we were forced to take drastic measures." said Double Dee.

"And I helped!" said Ed as he placed his thumb to his chest and giggled

At that moment, Eddy noticed an odor emanating from the area of Ed's armpit, which happened to be within inches of his nose. Interestingly, it was not the foul odor that was usually expected from Ed. It had been replaced by the smell of overapplicated cheap cologne.

"Geez Ed," said Eddy, "I'm glad your pits aren't kicking of funk like they usually do, but what did you do, take a bath in cologne?"

"Do you like it?" said Ed, "May said she doesn't like stinky arm pits, so we went to the department store and picked out some colognes we both liked."

"Well, to be perfectly honest," said Double Dee, "While I thank fate gratuitously that you have finally decided to rid yourself of your body odor issues, I'm afraid I must agree with Eddy in the fact that I believe your efforts are a tad overdone."

"All's I know is that my Little May likes it this way, and if she likes it this way than so do I." said Ed with a smile on his face.

"Whatever Romeo," said Eddy, "Oh yeah, and one more thing."

"What's that Eddy." said Ed.

"Put me down!" yelled Eddy.

"You got it mister!" yelled Ed as he suddenly dropped Eddy onto the white tiled bathroom floor. Eddy groaned, rubbed his head, and stood up on his two feet. He examined himself in the mirror, brushing his stringy hair back with his hand.

"By the way," said Eddy, "This sunshine and happiness thing this early in the morning is something I'd expect from you Double Dee, but what's the occasion for Ed to be so excited about a school day?"

"On the contrary Eddy," said Double Dee, "It was Ed who first engaged me with a knock on the door this morning. It seems that the invite last Saturday from Ms. Kanker regarding breakfast at her house this morning was more than enough motivation to stipulate an early rise from our good friend."

"Tabby's blueberry pancakes!" yelled Ed, "Yum yum yum!"

"Well now you're speaking my language," said Eddy as he began walking toward the shower. "You guys go make yourselves at home in my room, I'll be out in a few, and then we'll head over."

"Wilco Roger Eddy!" yelled Ed as he ran out of the bathroom.

"Enjoy your shower Eddy!" said Double Dee as he exited the bathroom in a much calmer fashion, gently closing the door behind him.

Twenty minutes have passed, and Eddy had completed his morning routine and was fully dressed. He outfitted himself in his typical winter attire; a yellow sweater with a single horizontal purple stripe, blue jeans, and brown winter boots. His two best friends were also outfitted for winter. Double Dee wore his thick orange winter coat, and earmuffs over his signature black ski hat. In addition, he had traded in the typical scarf he placed around his next for warmth for one adorned with the words "Merry Christmas" in white, over a green background. Ed was not dressed any different than normal other than a pair of old winter boots on his feet.

The boys had exited Eddy's room through his personal pocket door, and we're currently making their way down the sidewalk towards the end of the cul-de-sac, the destination being the Kanker families dwelling. Since the events of last March, Rod had started his career as a city firefighter, and Tabby had completed her training to become a dental hygienist, and had started her career at a dental office in the business district of Peach Creek. The two had since wed, as they had originally planned to many years ago, and purchased the modest-sized, split level house at the end of the cul-de-sac directly across from Double Dees house.

The boys had passed Kevin's yellow and green colored residence, and the Kanker home had come into view. The house was a classic side split style; the left side of the house served as the two story section. On the bottom was a large picture window serving as the sole window to the den of the house, the walls around it were covered in a brick pattern. Blue shutters framed the two second story windows, and white vinyl siding covered the second story of the house. On the right, the single story section consisted of a door leading into the living room of the house, as well as a large window overhung by the eave of the gabled roof. A path led down from the door, turning 90 degrees to the left and eventually lead to three steps down to the driveway.

The driveway itself was occupied by two vehicles. Closer to the house sat the old 1960s style camper that the Kanker family once called home, it's wheels chocked to prevent movement and the trailer pin supported by a couple of cinder blocks. Rod had repurposed it as a camper for family vacations, and it had found its most recent use for a trip to the shore over the previous summer. Behind the trailer sat a silver 2003 Honda Accord. Tabby had finally gotten around to learning to drive, and purchased the used car simply for the convenience of going back and forth to work and short grocery runs if Rod was in work.

The lawn had received an overhaul for the holiday season. Several blow up figures of snowmen and Santa Claus peppered the landscape, as well as several statues of reindeer. In addition to the slew of pagan decorations, there were statues of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and a nativity scene, reflecting the Kanker-Lonergan families catholic faith. All of the windows were adorned with Christmas decorations and lights around their border. In addition, several multi-colored flashing lights adorned the eaves of the house, further emphasizing the holiday spirit.

The boys wasted no time, and entered the backyard through the side gate as they always did. They made their way around the back of the house, and onto the rear patio, where the sliding glass doors leading to the kitchen were located.

Ed was the first to reach the doors and wasted no time opening it. He peered his head into the Kankers kitchen.

"Knock knock Ed's here!" yelled Ed in an enthusiastic, yet lovable voice.

The kitchen was somewhat spacious, and consisted of several cabinets lining the walls and a moderate sized breakfast table. The smell of frying pancakes filled the air, in addition to the scent of brewing coffee. Across the room with their backs to the door stood Tabby and Lee, both wearing aprons as they assisted each other in preparing breakfast. Aside from the somewhat notable difference in body weight and height, the two looked remarkably similar. Both had long silky red curls hanging past their shoulders, blue eyes, Lee's being lined with a shade of black eyeliner, and freckled faces; Lee was finally able to trade the extensions she wore to Double Dees party for her natural locks. Tabby was wearing a black sweater, a pair of blue jeans, and brown slide on slippers. Lee had traded in her favorite new pink tank top she had worn over the summer for a a pink, longed-sleeved form fitting shirt, but retained her hip hugging blue jeans and her black high-heeled winter boots with white liner at the top near the knees. Due to Lee's new habit of wearing said high-heeled boots and her slim model-like frame, she appeared a few inches taller than Tabby.

The sound of Ed's voice prompted Tabby and Lee to suddenly turn towards the door. A smile graced Tabbys face.

"Hey Ed!" said Tabby, "Good to see you, some on in have a seat we've got plenty!"

"You bet!" yelled Ed as he briskly made his way to the breakfast table, taking a seat to wait enthusiastically for his beloved pancakes.

"At least he remembered that he needed to open the screen this time." said Lee.

Eddy at this point made his way into the kitchen, walking casually with his hands in his pockets.

"What's up Ms. K!" said Eddy as he strolled towards the counter.

"Good morning Mr. M!" replied Tabby in a playful manner, after which she returned to placing the used dishes into the dishwasher.

Double Dee was the last to enter the Kanker residence, and was sure to close the sliding glass door behind him. He exchanged polite good mornings with Tabby and Lee, after which he decided to settle in a standing near the coffee maker.

Eddy made his way towards the stove, where Lee was currently frying the pancakes using a stove top skillet. He placed his elbow on the counter in a casual stance, and glanced up toward his girlfriend with a sly grin.

"Hey babe," said Eddy, "Got some blueberry pancakes comin my way?"

Lee took her eyes off of the stove for a brief second and gave a Eddy a playful eye roll.

"Keep talkin' to me like I'm your kitchen slave and I'll flip these right into the wall and you'll get nothin'" said Lee.

Even after all of these months of dating Lee, Eddy still became somewhat frightened when she refrained to using the gruff domineering voice she used to torture he and his friends with when she first moved to Peach Creek. He also found that it was still quite difficult to tell when Lee was joking or serious. To his relief, all of his nervousness disappeared as Lee placed the spatula down on the counter, leaned down and pecked him on the cheek with a smile, after which she turned to retrieve some ingredients from a cabinet on the other side of the kitchen.

Eddy moved towards the stove and picked up the spatula off of the counter.

"Ya know, I can grill some pretty mean flap jacks." said Eddy, "How about you let me make this next round."

Lee began walking back towards the stove as she rolled her eyes.

"C'mon Eddy," said Lee, "Ya couldn't even crack an egg last time you were here and now you're an expert at making pancakes?"

"Relax babe," said a Eddy as he poured the batter into the empty frying pan, "Pancakes are easy, let a pro show ya how it's done."

Eddy overconfidently grabbed the pan and begs swirling the still fluid batter around, and almost immediately attempted to flip it. Unfortunately, due to the fluidity of the pancake batter, the result was a wave of spatter, most of which landed on Eddy's face.

Needless to say, Eddy's attempted display of culinary prowess was found humorous by all parties present in the kitchen. Eddy stood as still as a statue with his fists clenched while he ground his teeth.

Lee walked towards her boyfriend chuckling slightly.

"Good job genius." said Lee, "Next time, let it cook a little before you try to flip it."

Lee handed Eddy a washcloth to clean himself off with, which Eddy unenthusiastically used to clear his face. Lee leaned down into Eddys face, while simultaneously taking the frying pan out of his hand.

"Why don't you go sit and wait at the kitchen table like a good boy and let the mistress of the kitchen finish up...k' sweetie?"

Lee winked at Eddy, after which he turned and walked to the kitchen table with a disgruntled expression. He took a seat next to Ed, with his arms folded, after which Lee chuckled and turned back to making breakfast.

At that moment, the sound of creaking floor boards filled the air, and Rod emerged from the living room area to join his family for breakfast. He was headed to work later in the morning and was dressed accordingly with the standard issue uniform of the city fire department; a dark blue short sleeved button down shirt, with his last name "Lonergan" patched on the left chest, and his company "Ladder 16" patched to his right chest. This was accompanied by a pair of dark blue pants and black shoes.

Rod proceeded towards the coffee maker to pour himself a cup at which point he noticed Double Dee.

"Good morning Double Dee," said Rod as he shook Double Dees hand, "Still gotta get used to calling you that, how have you been buddy?"

"Good morning Mr. Lonergan," said Double Dee, "I have been doing very well, and do not worry one bit about referring to me by my nickname, as it does ease confusion."

Rod laughed.

"No problem," said Rod as he took a sip of his coffee, "Annemarie's upstairs finishing up in the shower, she should be down in about five minutes."

Rod turned and walked towards the breakfast table.

"Howdy boys," said Rod. He glanced towards Eddy who was still quite upset over his pancake mishap.

"Eddy my man, what's happenin," said Rod as he delivered the small Ed boy a playful punch, "How about that football game yesterday. Looks like my team wiped the floor with yours."

Rod and Eddy often engaged in friendly rivalry when it came to football. Rod was originally from Texas, and the team he rooted for shared a bitter rivalry with Peach Creeks nearest cities team, the team which Eddy rooted for. Eddy decided to fire back with a challenge of his own.

"Alright," said Eddy, "Your team my have won last night, but I know something I can always beat you at."

At that moment, Tabby placed a large plate of pancakes in the center of the table. Rod and Eddy stared at each other across the table with competitive grins for a few seconds before both yelled the same phrase.

"BREAKFAST RACE!"

At that moment, both Eddy and Rod reached for their utensils and began piling pancakes on their plate. Each man began to slice each pancake as quick as they could, and began shoving upsurdly large portions into their mouths, in an attempt to outdo each other. Naturally, this common ritual led to a large mess being made on the table.

Both Tabby and Lee stood side by side, both in the same position, watching their significant others compete. Their hips were relaxed to the left, their left hands resting on their hips while their right hands hung loose towards the floor. Both of their faces were adorned with blank, sarcastic and annoyed expressions. Both women simultaneously uttered a single phrase.

"Men...ugh."

"Time for me to play!" yelled Ed, as he began eating just as wildly as Eddy and Rod.

Tabby turned back towards Double Dee, who had chosen to remain standing near the coffee maker.

"Not hungry Double Dee?" asked Tabby, "There's plenty more, even with these wild men going at it like they never ate before"

"Thanks for your kindness Ms. Kanker," said Double Dee, "But I am afraid that I have already ate a large breakfast in the midst of accomplishing my morning chores. I think I will take a small cup of coffee though if you don't' mind."

"Of course!" said Tabby, "Help yourself!"

Just as Double Dee was about to pick up the glass coffee pot, a loud crash characteristic of broken window glass rang out. The source of the noise was a large, white softball that had been inadvertently launched through the kitchen window from the vicinity of the right side alley. The ball soared through the air, and came to rest directly on top of the central pancake dish sitting on the breakfast table.

"Jesus Christ!" yelled Rod, "That's the second time this month!"

A few seconds passed, after which the sliding glass door leading to the patio was once again opened. May briskly entered the house, adorned in the blue and white softball uniform she had worn during so many Peach Creek Junior High games. On her feet were thick yellow knee high socks and a pair of black cleats. Her blonde hair, typically tied in a set of two pony tails draping over her shoulders, was currently tied up in a single tight ponytail. Her braces have begun to do their job, but it would be a few more months until they were able to be removed permanently.

"Hey, did anyone see my ball?" asked May in a slightly dopey sounding voice while smiling heavily.

Rod reached into the mass of crushed pancakes in the center of the table, and retrieved the syrup soaked softball. He held it up between his index finger and thumb for May to see, while staring toward her with a stone faced expression.

"Is this what you are looking for?" asked Rod sarcastically.

Mays face lit up with happiness.

"Yep, that's it" she yelled, after which she began happily making her way towards her father to retrieve it. Just as she was about to take it from his hand, he quickly pulled it away.

"Not so fast Little Girl," said Rod with a stern look, "We have to talk about all of these broken windows."

"That's the second one this month!" yelled Tabby, "Daddy and I aren't made of money you know!"

May's face turned to a somber expression, and she appeared as if she was about to tear up.

"I know, I'm sorry!" said May in her typical adenoidal voice, "But I have to practice hitting as much as I can if I want to make the team this year. It's that automatic pitching machine, I can't seem to get it to shoot straight, and it always winds up hitting something it's not supposed to."

"Well as much as I like you to practice," said Rod, "I'm going to have to take that pitching machine off of you until you either get it fixed or we can get you a new one that works. You can practice with your sisters at the park."

"But Daddy!" yelled May with a slight whimper, "Lee and Marie can't pitch that fast, and these girls are some of the best pitchers in the county."

"It's final Annamae," said Rod rather sternly.

Mays lip quivered slightly. After a few seconds, she realized that she could not win this battle and simply delivered a nod, as if to say she understood. Rod and Eddy went back to eating their pancakes, albiet in a much calmer manner.

With the subject closed, May moved around to the other side of the breakfast table, where her beloved Ed was sitting. He was currently stuffing his face with pancakes at an alarming rate. May sat down next to him, leaning her elbows on the table and resting her chin in her hands as she stared at her Big Ed.

"Hiya Ed!" said May dreamily.

Ed ceased eating momentarily and swallowed the remainder of what he had in his mouth. He turned towards May.

"Hiya there Little May!" said Ed with a smile on his face.

"How has your morning been so far, Big Ed?" asked May.

"It's good!" yelled Ed, "I love pancakes."

"Me too!" said May as she reached for her fork. She promptly used it to pick an entire pancake off of her plate and shoved it into her mouth, with everyone else at the table following suit.

Double Dee sipped his coffee as he observed, entranced and at the same time somewhat disgusted by the human eating machine at work at the kitchen table. He was broken out of his trance by a tap on his shoulder, which he quickly responded to by turning his head.

Standing directly in front of him was his own girlfriend, Marie, smiling ear-to-ear. As it was winter, she had traded in her blue tank top for a wool sweater of the same color; for the same reason, her white skirt was replaced by white jeans, and her flip flops were replaced by blue winter loafers. On her head, she wore a sky blue head band to match her sweater, the color in complete contrast to her jet black hair. Her hair was nevertheless unchanged, as she retained her classic sideswept bangs.

"Good morning cutie!" said Marie, as she placed her finger to his chest, "Did ya miss me?"

"More than you will know Marie," said Double Dee.

Marie glanced around the room, taking note of the broken window and the events occurring at the breakfast table. She turned to Double Dee with a sarcastic smile.

"Glad to see you got to witness another normal morning in the Kanker household." said Marie as she giggled.

"I suppose so." said Double Dee, as he rolled up his sleeve to take glance at his watch. To Double Dees surprise, it was 7:50. School started in twenty minutes, and they would have to leave immediately in order to avoid being late.

Double Dee alerted all of his peers of the situation, at which point breakfast was promptly wrapped up. May made her way to her room to make a quick change out of her softball gear and into her winter attire of choice: A green sweater with a single yellow flower in the middle of the chest and a pair of blue jeans. The group picked up their school supplies, bid Tabby and Rod farewell, and began making their way towards Peach Creek Junior High.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Fifteen minutes had passed, and the Eds and their Kanker counterparts had finally made it to their school building. The building was a rather spacious 3 story building, similar to Peach Creek Junior High. The bricks were brown in color, and a series of large windows leading into each classroom peppered the front facade. Above the main entrance, large silver plated letters spelled out the words "Peach Creek High School". The school campus was abuzz with students; many were conversing happily with friends, while others were using what little time they had to finish up homework they had neglected to do the previous night.

The group made their way up the series of five steps leading to the main entrance of the school building. Double Dee was first to reach the door, and promptly opened it to allow his friends to pass though before him. The door opened into the main corridor of the school; as was the case of the rest of the town, the school had received an overhaul for the holiday season. The halls were literally decked with boughs of holly, and multi colored tinsel lined the entire length of the walls above the student lockers. Christmas wreaths hung on the door to every classroom; even the water fountains were covered in wrapping paper with pictures of reindeer, Santa Claus, and Christmas gifts.

The Eds and Kankers walked side by side, each holding their counterparts hand, admiring the winter wonderland that had been created over the past weekend. Double Dee was the first to chime in.

"My word, isn't it just wonderful!" said Double Dee, "What isn't there to love about this time of year? The elaborate decorations, warm holiday cookies, time well spent families and the oh so beautiful spirit of giving."

"It is such a beautiful time of year!" said Marie as she glanced toward Double Dee with a smile, "The school looks really pretty, they did a great job with the decorations."

At that moment, Eddy reached his locker, and began the process of entering the code to the combination lock. The rest of the group followed suit, as all of their lockers were located within close proximity to each other.

"Alright," said Eddy as he fumbled with the lock, "Enough admiring the scenery, I've got bigger things to worry about. If I fail this math test this week, I'm going to wind up failing the semester."

Lee placed her outer coat on the hook in her locker, and reached into the upper compartment to retrieve her glasses case. Lee had always required glasses for near sightedness, but due to financial circumstances, she was unable to receive a prescription until last summer. Nevertheless, she did not enjoy wearing the black rimmed spectacles in the slightest, so she only donned them during school hours. She placed the glasses on her face, after which she leaned around her locker door to make eye contact with Eddy.

"Eddy," said Lee, "Did ya ever stop and think that if you studied, you might actually get a good grade?"

Eddy slid his sweater over his head and placed it in his locker.

"Easy for you to say," said Eddy, "You actually like this stuff. Ever since you revealed this whole secret genius nerd thing last spring, I feel like I'm dating a female Double Dee."

Double Dee and Marie stood a few feet away, listening to the conversation unfold. Double Dees face displayed a sarcastic glare, unamused at Eddy's nerd comment. Marie tapped him on the arm while giggling slightly.

"Hey it's not like I like this stuff," said Lee, "I just know I have to do it if I want to get anywhere in life and make some major moolah."

"Cut the crap Lee," said Marie, "You've always liked reading, and you would always played chemistry set with Poppy when you were little. You wanted to be a scientist remember?"

Lee's face turned slightly red out of embarrassment as Marie smiled. Double Dee decided to chime in.

"Well, I for one see nothing wrong with excelling in academics, and there should be no reason for the enjoyment of such things to be a source of embarrassment." said Double Dee.

"Yeah Lee, suck it up," said Marie in her characteristic cackling voice, "You ain't got nothin to be ashamed of."

At that moment, the sound of a can being opened echoed down the hallway. The entire group turned to see Ed holding a large can of gravy in his right hand over his head. In his left hand, he grasped a funnel, which drained to a bifurcated plastic tube. The two tubes lead down from the funnel, one ending in Eds mouth, the other in May's mouth. Ed was pouring the gravy into the funnel from the can, while he and May were guzzling it at an alarming rate.

Lee performed a hitchhikers thumb towards her younger sister, her face adorned with a sarcastic scowl.

"Except for being related to that." said Lee in a joking manner, referring to Marie's earlier comment.

At the conclusion of Lee's statement, a familiar voice yelled out from behind the group.

"Yo Dorkie! Glad to see you actually got up on time today!"

Eddy turned around to see his two friends, Kevin and Rolf, standing around 30 feet away from his position. Kevin was holding a large poster, which was currently rolled into a tube. A single wooden step ladder was set up near the wall of the corridor; a second ladder was currently being set up next to the first by Rolf.

Eddy closed his locker, and made his way down the corridor toward Kevin and Rolf's position.

"Sup Shovel Chin, Rolfie Boy," said Eddy, "Whatcha guys up to?"

"Ms. Brewster asked us to hang up this poster" said Kevin, "I have no idea what it's for, but she said if we did it we'd get a few minutes off of options period this afternoon. You want in?"

"You kiddin?" said Eddy, "Hell yeah I'm in, getting out of school a few minutes early is always worth the work."

"Rolf is pleased with the offer of early dismissal," said Rolf as he completed unfolding the step ladder, "For I must help Nana prepare for the season of mirth and the feast of the great Yeshmiyek."

"Whatever floats your boat Rolfie Boy," said Eddy as he took the large rolled poster out of Kevin's hands, "Let's see what all the fuss is about."

Eddy placed both of his hands on the free end of the rolled up poster, and quickly flicked his arms in a waving motion causing the poster to quickly unroll. Eddy gently lowered the deployed poster on the blue floor tiles for examination of it's contents.

The poster was rather large, around ten feet long by five feet wide. The background of the poster was of a light blue hue. In each corner was an image of a piece of winterberry, it's green leaves and red berries standing out against the blue background. In the middle of the poster was an advertisement, written in large gold lettering:

Peach Creek High School

Annual Winter Ball

Dec 23 7:00 p.m.

Celebrate the Holiday Season with a fun-filled night of music, dancing, and Yuletide fun with friends. Semi-Formal attire required (ties for men, evening gowns for ladies).

Calling all young ladies! The Crown of the Winter Ball Queen is up for grabs! Any interested parties are offered the chance to compete. Students will cast their votes on the night of the ball for the young lady who best exemplifies the spirit of the holiday season. Don't miss out!

It didn't take long for the presence of the poster to draw the remaining Eds and Kankers down the hallway. After a quick examination, Double Dee was the first to speak.

"Well, it seems that they are finally advertising the winter ball!" said Double Dee, "As an active member of the freshmen student union, I have been heavily involved with the planning of this years ball. What a wonderful way for our class dues to be put to use."

Eddy and Kevin each took an end of the large poster in their hand. Each boy climbed up onto the top step of their ladders with the intent to fix the poster to the wall in accordance with the school administrations wishes. Rolf remained at ground level to hand the boys thumb tacks and tape.

As the boys worked on installing the poster, May enthusiastically continued the conversation.

"Oh Boy!" yelled May, "I can't wait!"

May turned to Ed with an excited expression.

"You will take me to the winter ball, right Ed?" Asked May as she clasped her hands and batted her eyes.

Ed turned towards May, his face displaying his characteristic dopey smile.

"Off to the winter ball, me and Little May shall go!" said Ed.

"Oh Ed!" yelled May. She jumped up and down so excitedly that the blue bows securing her two beloved pony tails nearly came loose. She rushed towards Ed and squeezed him in a loving embrace.

Marie smiled at her sisters bliss, after which she turned towards Double Dee. Double Dee smiled as he gazed upon his girlfriends freckled face. Both adolescents knew that the decision regarding the topic at hand was already made, but Double Dee decided to take the initiative to formalize it.

"Well Marie," said Double Dee, "I suppose it my my inherent duty as your significant other to ask you to accompany me to the winter ball?"

Marie giggled.

"Well, I suppose it is my duty to say yes!" said Marie, after which she kissed Double Dee on the cheek.

Marie glanced towards her red headed older sister, standing a few feet away watching her boyfriend attempt to hang the winter ball poster. Marie decided to pose a question.

"So Lee," asked Marie, "Are you going to the ball?"

Lee turned around to face her little sister, her face adorned with a scowl.

"Huh, yeah right." said Lee, "Are you kidding me? I'm not parading myself around in a frilly dress all night like some kind of wind-up doll, unless I'm getting paid by the modeling agency. I already told Eddy not to worry about it, I got better things to do and neither of us paid the dues anyway."

Marie and Double Des glanced at each other, slightly stunned by Lee's brutal honesty, after which Double Dee decided to make a proclamation.

"Very well Lee," said Double Dee, "While you are entitled to your opinion, should you at any point decide to change your mind and desire admission, a fee of twenty dollars can be paid to the student treasurer to make up for the missed class dues."

"Hardly," said Lee, "There ain't nothin or nobody that's going to change my mind on this one."

At that instant, the sound of a sarcastic feminine voice chimed in from over Lee's shoulder.

"Of course Annalee Kanker isn't going, she doesn't want to embarrass herself by having to be in the same room as me."

Lee slowly turned to face the source of the voice, her face adorned with a bitter expression. Standing in the middle of the hallway was a young woman, remarkably similar in height and build to Lee. She was wearing a maroon thigh-length designer winter coat, secured by black buttons and accented by a vertical cream colored stripe made from rabbits fur. A brown belt, secured with a golden buckle passed around her waste. Her legs were covered by a pair of light blue leggings; on her feet were a pair of tan colored Ugg boots. Her platinum blonde hair was neatly styled into loose waves that hung over her shoulders and was accented by a light blue headband. From her ears hung two large silver hoop earrings. Her chestnut shaped eyes were made up completely with eye shadow and eye-liner, and her face displayed an overconfident grin. She was flanked by two additional girls from the "popular clique", wearing similar outfits and displaying the same cynical expressions.

"Lindsay Statorowski," said Lee with a sarcastic wit, "To what do we owe this great pleasure?

Lindsay smiled as she walked closer to Lee's position.

"Oh nothing," said Lindsay, "I just thought I'd come by and see how my favorite little wannabes are doing."

"Like I'd want to be a stuck up bimbo that can't keep a man for more than three days." said Lee, "If you know what's good for ya, I'd turn your spoiled brat ass around and get out of here. I told ya before, times have changed I ain't afraid of ya anymore!"

"How barbaric," said Lindsay, "Typical of a 'Kanker Sore' to use brute force to make up for their lack of beauty and femininity. I'll give it to you, you give a nice presentation, but don't think you even can even compare yourself to me just because you won the new big Pacific Teen Model Management contract. News flash Hun, I still have more work than you can ever wish for."

"It's easy to get recognition even when you're mediocre when all you have to do is get 'Daddy' to write a check ," yelled Lee, "Typical uptown broad."

The two girls continued going at it as the rest of their peers watched. Ed and May elected to remain silent, observing the eldest Kanker have a war of words with her adversary. Double Dee and Marie stood side by side, also observing the events unfold. As the two girls bickered, Marie leaned towards Double Dee.

"Here they go again." said Marie, "This can only get worse."

"Marie," said Double Dee, "May you remind me again of your history with this particular young woman?"

Marie turned towards Double Dee.

"Lindsay Statorowski was one of our classmates from elementary school back in the city. She was one of our worst tormentors, and often physically and verbally abused us. One day, we came home with cuts and bruises from an encounter we had with her and her friends. My Dad saw it and, having enough with the school not doing anything about it, decided to teach us martial arts and submission holds he learned in his military service to help us defend ourselves."

Marie paused for a few seconds to catch her breath.

"We were scared to use it at first, but one day, after a few years, Lee couldn't take it anymore and kicked her ass in front of the entire school. Lee was expelled from the school, so for ease we were all transferred to a new school. We thought we never would have to deal with her again, that is until her dad got this big promotion she is always bragging about and moved her family to Peach Creek. Now we have to deal with her running her stupid mouth again, as if she didn't learn from Lee shoving her fist into it back then."

Marie's facial expression turned to one of anger as she spoke her last few words slightly alarming Double Dee. However, she quickly calmed down as she took a pause from speaking and glanced back towards the direction of the fighting girls.

"I actually am really proud of Lee," said Marie, "Before the events of last March, Lee would have already had Lindsay on the ground begging for mercy. Now she is willing to show some restraint. It's easy to forget that behind that sexy exterior lies one tough cookie that is quite capable of handling herself physically."

"Oh yes," said Double Dee, "How could I ever forget."

Marie giggled, after which she defaulted back to observing the war of words.

Meanwhile, Eddy and Kevin were still working on hanging the poster. They were completely oblivious to the events occurring in the corridor, as they were immersed in conversations regarding sports bets they had placed on the football game last Sunday. Eddy and Kevin had made a twenty dollar bet, and the turnout was in Eddy's favor.

Kevin placed a piece of tape on the poster to tack it in place, after which he reached down into his pocket to retrieve his wallet.

"Alright dork," said Kevin, "You won fair and square, here is the twenty bucks I owe ya."

Eddy grinned as he gladly retrieved his winnings.

"Oh yeah baby, come to papa!" said Eddy as he counted the bills.

"Don't get too cocky," said Kevin, "There's always next time."

Kevin placed his wallet back in his pocket and continued working. He decided to continue the conversation.

"Besides, you're probably going to loose it anyway," said Kevin, "If your girl's anything like Nazz, she is gonna want to go to this Winter Ball thing, and you didn't pay the dues so you're gonna have to pay the fee."

Eddy glanced towards Kevin with a cocky grin.

"Lee?" said Eddy, "Fat chance, we already talked about it and she said she ain't going."

Eddy smiled slyly as he leaned against the wall.

"See I got the best of both worlds, not only is Lee insanely hot, but she is also as low maintenance as can be. She don't want none of that fancy 'wine and dine' crap. She's happy with us just being us."

Eddy fanned the dollar bills as if they were playing cards as if to flaunt the money to Kevin.

"So that just means I got twenty dollars of extra cash in the bank!" said Eddy.

As Eddy's conversation with Kevin was coming to a close, the argument occurring in the middle of the corridor was escalating, as the girls continued to exchange insults.

"It's easy to understand why you aren't going to the dance," said Lindsay, "It's because you know I'm going to win Winter Ball Queen, and you realize you can never possibly live up to my standards."

Lee's face filled with anger as she delivered a surprising retort.

"Well for your knowledge", yelled Lee. "I have some info for you and all the other arrogant chicks you hang out with."

Lee pointed her index finger towards Eddy, who currently had his back turned towards the corridor.

"Eddy's taking me to the ball!" she yelled.

"WHAT!" yelled Eddy, as he simultaneously swung his head around to face Lee. This motion unfortunately caused him to loose his balance, the ladder to sweep out from under his feet, and his body to plummet towards the floor.

"Say what?" said Edd and Marie simultaneously as they glanced at each other in confusion.

Eddy regained his composure, stood up and began making his way towards Lee.

"Lee, what's going on?" asked Eddy, "I thought we agreed t..."

Eddy was cut off as Lee placed her hand over his mouth, silencing him.

"That's right," said Lee, "I'm going to the winter ball, I'm running for Queen, and I'm going to win."

Lee leaned forward towards Lindsay with a competitive grin.

"What do ya have to say about that?" asked Lee.

Lindsay moved closer to Lee, until their bodies were almost in direct contact. Lindsay leaned her face into Lee's.

"May the better girl win." said Lindsay with a smile, as she simultaneously performed a cocky neck roll.

Lindsay turned around and began walking away from Lee's position, simultaneously signaling her clique to follow her. The group of girls disappeared around the corner, at which point Lee suddenly snatched the money Eddy had just earned from Kevin out of his hand.

"MY MONEY!" yelled Eddy, as he reached for his beloved cash.

Lee stormed towards Double Dee with an irritated glare, her high heeled boots clicking loudly with each step on the tile floor. She placed the cash into Double Dees right hand.

"Here Double Dee," said Lee, "Pass this to the school treasurer, and get two tickets to the winter ball for me and Eddy."

Before Double Dee had a chance to respond, Lee was once again on the move. She briskly walked to the entrance to the girls room with an angry step, flung the door open with force, and disappeared inside.

All of the Eds, the remaining Kanker sisters, and Kevin and Rolf remained as still as statues, stunned at the display they had just witnessed. Eddy was the first to respond.

"What the hell was that!?" yelled Eddy.

"I don't know." said Marie, "I've seen Lee with her claws out plenty of times, but usually she is all physical business. It's not like her to play the catty girl."

The group of students remained in silence for a few seconds, after which Eddy decided to chime in.

"Well looks like I'm going to this shindig after all," said Eddy in a negative tone of voice, "Now I gotta find something to wear."

"Isn't this sweet!" yelled May, "All of my sisters and their boyfriends, dancing the night away in suits and winter gowns! How romantic, it's just like the fairy tails!"

Eddy groaned as he kicked a balled up piece of paper down the hallway that happened to have found it's way to the floor. Double Dee walked over to his best friend and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Cheer up Eddy," said Double Dee with a smile, "Just think, you can enjoy this fantastic holiday celebration put together by our beloved teachers with all of your best friends. I'll provide this money to the treasurer and procure your tickets by the end of the day."

"Whatever," said Eddy as he placed his hands in his pockets and began walking back towards Kevin and Rolf. "I'll catch you guys in class, I'm going to finish helping these guys hang this poster."

"Very well Eddy." said Double Dee, "We'll see you in class."

As Double Dee, Marie, Ed and May began their trek to class, Eddy picked up his step ladder from the floor and placed it back in it's standing position. He retook his position on the top rung, and began taping the poster to the wall.

Kevin could no longer hold back and began laughing at Eddy's financial predicament.

"See, didn't I tell ya dork." said Kevin as he laughed while pointing at Eddy, "Girls and money go hand-in-hand"

"Shut up." said Eddy in a bitter tone, after which he ground his teeth and continued working.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It was now 10:13 a.m. The bell signaling the start of third period at Peach Creek High School had just sounded, prompting an outpouring of traveling students into the school hallway.

For Ed, Edd and Eddy, and all of their cul-de-sac peers, the start of third period happened to coincide with the start of gym class. The boys had made their way into the locker room to begin the process of changing into the standard physical education uniform of Peach Creek High School; a grey shirt with "Peach Creek High" written on the front, along with a picture of the school mascot. The school mascot happened to be the same character that was used for all Peach Creek schools sports teams, a large anthropomorphic piece of Peach Cobbler. The grey shirt was accompanied by a pair of blue shorts.

Inside the locker room, Double Dee had opened his locker to begin his preparations for the class he dreaded most. He had loosened his green tie, and had barely begun the process of unbuttoning his red shirt when the sound of a gym bag dropping on the floor filled the air.

Double Dee turned around to see his diminutive friend Eddy, who's locker occupied the space next to his. Eddy's face retained the annoyed expression that had been present since the verbal battle between Lee and Lindsay a few hours ago. Double Dee took notice of his friends disposition and decided to comment.

"Come now Eddy," said, "Are you still upset over the events that transpired this morning?"

Eddy flung his locker door open, after which he slid his yellow striped sweater off over his head.

"This stinks," said Eddy, "I finally squeeze an easy twenty bucks out of Kevin, and it's getting blown on this stupid winter ball thing!"

Double Dee finished unbuttoning his shirt, at which point he removed it from his arms. As he continued the conversation, he began the process of neatly folding the shirt to ensure that no wrinkles form during the course of it's storage in the gym locker.

"Eddy, I'm surprised at you!" said Double Dee, "Are you so frugal as to deny your significant other the chance to enjoy a fun-filled night of holiday fun?"

"Deny her?" asked Eddy, "She's denying me my hard earned cash, and it's not even because she actually wants to go! I'm paying for this bullshit between her and that stuck up chick from the other cul-de-sac!"

"Well Eddy," said Double Dee, "While I will not deny the fact that you did happen to be caught in the proverbial crossfire, so to speak, may I remind you that it is the season of giving, and selflessness, regardless of the circumstance, is an excellent character trait to exhibit."

Eddy groaned as he slipped his gym shirt over his head.

"Besides," said Double Dee, "If the actions Lee exhibited earlier in the day truly upset you, I would suggest that you sit down with her alone and have a discussion regarding your feelings on the situation. After all, excellent communication skills are a necessary building block for any human relationship, especially those of a romantic nature."

Eddy slid his blue shorts onto his legs.

"Ahh, maybe you're right Double Dee." said Eddy, "Lee's coming over tonight to help me study for this math test on Friday, I'll talk to her then."

"Good for you Eddy!" said Double Dee, "That is a very mature decision of you."

As soon as Double Dee had finished his sentence, the mighty Ed came barreling into the locker room through the single wooden door. The large boy was quite excited and did not realize that he had, for the lack of a better term, plowed Eddy over as he made his way past the boys to his own gym locker.

"Christmas time!" yelled Ed in an obnoxious voice, as raised his arms in the air. He began spinning around wildly as he sung out the tune of a popular Christmas carol, loud enough for all in the locker room to hear:

"Seven maids of milking!

Six juice's spillin!

FIVE MOLDY THINGS!

Four packs of Nerds!

Three comic books!

Two chunky puffs!"

Before Ed could finish his last sentence, Eddy interrupted to finish the song.

"And Lumpy doesn't know the words!" yelled Eddy.

"Well, while it is an obvious fact that Ed did not perform the song using the typical lyrics, I must admit that his interpretation was quite creative, and exemplifies Ed's love of the holiday season." said Double Dee.

Double Dee reached into his locker as he continued speaking.

"I for one am quite excited for the holiday season as well," said Double Dee as he retrieved a clipboard from his locker, "As with every year, I have compiled this checklist to assist me in tracking the procurement of Christmas cards for all eleven of my fellow cul-de-sac inhabitants, and to brainstorm creative gift ideas for Mother, Father and Marie."

Double Dee placed his clipboard back into his locker, closed the door, and secured the single combination look, after which he turned back towards his two best friends.

"So gentlemen," said Double Dee, "Have you two decided what you would like to present to your significant others?"

Eddy sat down on the long wooden bench occupying the middle of the locker room. He reached down and began tying his sneakers.

"I don't know," said Eddy, "Lee's tricky. I like the girl, but man is she hard to figure out sometimes. I might need your help figuring out what to get her"

"Don't worry Eddy," said Double Dee, "I am sure if you search deeply within your heart, you will find something great. And if in the end you are still at a loss, I will be delighted to assist."

"Yeah," said Eddy, "I'm sure I'll figure something out. Now the more important question is how much money I'm going to be able to pocket in gifts this year. I hope my parents aren't still stuck on the whole stupid "clothes for Christmas" thing."

"Eddy!" yelled Double Dee in a surprised manner.

"Relax Sockhead," said Eddy, "I'm just playin'"

Double Dee glanced at Eddy with a sarcastic expression, after which he turned toward his oafish best friend, who was currently rummaging through his crowded locker, searching for his gym shorts.

"So Ed, have you decided on a present for May?" asked Double Dee.

Ed had finally located his shorts. He placed both of his feet in the legs, and pulled them up to his waist. He released the waist band, causing an audible snap as the shorts contacted his waist.

"Do not worry Double Dee, for I have found the perfect gift for my Little May." said Ed. He turned towards his signature, large green coat, which was currently hanging from one of the hooks within his locker, and began digging through one of the pockets. After a few seconds of searching, he retrieved what appeared to be a page torn out of a magazine.

"This was in the back of the comic book I was reading during English class this morning" said Ed as he smiled, after which he held up the page for his friends to see. "I tore it out because it is something that I think she would really like, and I'm going to get it for her!"

Eddy and Double Dee examined the torn out page, which appeared to be a sporting advertisement. There was a large jagged tear in the top left corner of the page, indicative that it was rapidly torn out due to excitement. On the top of the intact portion of the page were the words, 'Automatic Pitching Machine', below which was a picture of the gadget.

"Ed that is a wonderful idea!" said Double Dee, "How thoughtful, May will most surely love it!"

"I remembered how May was having trouble with her pitching machine, so I thought I'd get her a new one so she could practice hitting to make the team in Spring!"

Eddy continued reading the advertisement, at which point he noted the price of the machine.

"Three-hundred dollars?" asked Eddy, "The idea's good, but are ya sure you can afford that Ed?"

Ed, being the optimist he was, folded up the piece of paper and placed it back in his jacket pocket. He decided to reply to Eddy with a smile.

"It's a lot of money," said Ed, "But if it's going to make May happy, Ed will find a way!"

"Ed, you truly do exemplify the holiday spirit!" said Double Dee.

"Alright, enough chit chat," said Eddy, "We gotta get out to the gym, it's time for the winter fitness test, remember?"

"How could I forget?" said Double Dee with a disheartened look, "There is not one thing I absolutely despise more than the tortuous, monotonous Fitnessplan Pacer Test!"

"C'mon boys," said Eddy as he opened the door into the gymnasium and passed through into the gym, "Let's get this over with, then we'll hit up the business district after school to scout out the Christmas shopping."

The two remaining Ed boys followed Eddy into the gymnasium; Ed running enthusiastically, leaning backward while flailing his body as he always did, while laughing dopily. In complete contrast Double Dee slowly passed through the door, slouching as he walked, his face adorned with a melancholy expression.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The boys stepped out of the locker room door and into the cavernous school gymnasium. The gymnasium was around one-hundred feet long, by fifty feet wide; the ceiling was twenty feet high. Four doors opposite to the gym locker room door lined the long wall, serving as access and egress to the schools main corridor. Two basketball nets were suspended from the ceiling on a movable frame at each end of the gym. Several other auxiliary nets and accompanying backboards lined the walls of the gym. In the far corner, a series of several nylon ropes hung from a bar near the ceiling, with a large blue mat positioned underneath, to test the students climbing ability and endurance.

The gym teacher often allowed students to use the schools basketballs at their leisure as warmup during the first few minutes of class. Kevin and Rolf had already taken advantage of this opportunity, and were currently shooting hoops using one of the basketball courts. Kevin dribbled the ball, after which he took a shot from the three point line. The ball bounced off of the rim, and ricocheted towards Rolf's position.

As Kevin's tracked the balls trajectory, his eye caught the three Ed boys making their way towards his position.

"Yo Eddy," yelled Kevin, his face changing to a sly grin, "Ya wanna come shoot some hoops? Oh wait, did ya ask the old ball-and-chain for her permission!"

Kevin laughed at his own joke, with Rolf joining in as he walked towards the Ed's position with the basketball in his hand. Eddy, as usual did not find Kevin's joke amusing in the slightest.

"It seems the eldest Kanker sister with the hair as red as Rolf's barn, has removed the loins of the small fry Ed boy, just as one does to the bull." said Rolf.

Both boys laughed, as Eddy stood with his fists clenched by his side. Double Dee observed his friend with a blank stare for, while he knew the two boys words were all in good fun, he still was not fond of teasing. Ed stood still, indifferent to the joke, staring at the ropes hanging a few feet away.

"Shut up, all of ya!" yelled Eddy as he snatched the basketball out of Rolf's hands. "C'mon, let's get a game of HORSE going while we can."

Eddy glanced toward Double Dee.

"You in Sockhead?" asked Eddy.

Double Dee twirled his thumbs as he responded.

"No thank you Eddy," said Double Dee, "While I appreciate your offer, I once again must decline due to my lack of interest and talent in team sports. I'll spectate from the bench!"

"Suit yourself." said Eddy. He turned towards the position where he believed Ed to be.

"C'mon Ed," said Eddy, after which he turned around and began walking towards the basketball hoop. However, after a half-seconds time, he performed a double take as he realized that Ed was no longer where he was originally standing. Upon glancing around the gym, Eddy took notice that one of the gym ropes was swinging wildly back and forth, with Ed hanging on the end. The large Ed boy was currently laughing dopily as he seemed to be having the time of his life.

"Well Lumpy's out!" said Eddy, "Alright guys let's play."

As Eddy joined Kevin and Rolf in their basketball game, Double Dee took a seat on the bench located next to the basketball court. After watching his friends play for a few minutes, he took notice of an outpouring of girls into the gymnasium from the female locker room. Within the crowd, he took notice of the Kanker sisters, all outfitted in their gym uniforms. Lee had traded her heels for a pair of sports sneakers, removed her glasses, and tied her hair into a bun. May had also tied her hair back into a single pony tail, as she usually did when participating in any form of athletics. Marie had not altered her appearance at all for gym class other than donning the standard gym uniform.

Along with the Kanker sisters, Double Dee took notice of Kevin's girlfriend Nazz leaving the locker room, conversing happily with Marie. Since the events of the previous winter, all three Kankers had become amiable with Nazz. Marie in particular had developed a true bond with the blonde haired teenager. This was significant as a bond of friendship with another girl that wasn't one of her sisters was something she had desired all of her life. The friendship was a two way street, with Marie introducing Nazz to her hobbies such as the piano and art, and Nazz introducing Marie to Yoga and aerobics.

While May also came to enjoy Nazz's company, her best friends aside from her sisters were the girls from her eighth grade softball team. Many of the girls followed her to Peach Creek High, and were also excited about the prospect of making the high school team in spring. Lee had still yet to make any other friends outside of her sisters and Eddy, yet she didn't seem to have a problem with that.

Lastly, Double Dee took note of Lindsay Statorowski and her friends weaving their way through the crowd toward the bench on the opposite side of the gymnasium. Lindsay was walking with an arrogant stride as she always did, attempting to sway her hips as much as possible. Her friends followed her lead closely, as if they were puppies on a leash that would be lost without their master. The three girls took a seat on the bench, awaiting the official start of the gym period.

Within seconds, the Kanker sisters and Nazz spotted the boys and made their way towards their position. Nazz split off from the Kankers to meet up with Kevin, whom she shared a hug and some light conversation with. After their conversation, she decided to spend her time warming up for gym with aerobics. May, naturally joined Ed by the ropes; Ed had ceased swinging himself and had assisted in lifting May into a position to grab the rope, after which he continued pushing her as if she was on a playground swing.

Lee took a seat on the bench to the right of Double Dee. She seat leaning forward, with her elbows resting on her knees and her face resting in her palms. Marie, with a smile, took a seat next to Double Dee on the opposite side, crossing her right leg over her left. She decided to initiate the conversation.

"Hey sweetie," said Double Dee, "How was your morning?"

"As wonderful as it could be," said Double Dee with a smile, "The only thing missing was seeing your beautiful face."

Marie playfully slapped Double Dee

"Come on Double Dee," said Marie, "That's sweet, but how was it really?"

Double Dee giggled.

"Well Marie," said Double Dee, "If you must know, I prepared titrants for the chemistry lab, had a lengthy and productive discussion with Mr. Neights regarding Reimmanian manifolds, conducted an analysis of the transfer function the servo control valves on th..."

Double Dee was cut off by Marie placing her index finger over his mouth, her face adorned with an amorous grin.

"On second thought," said Marie, "Go back to the sweetness!"

The two adolescents shared a laugh, after which Double Dee decided to pose a question. He leaned towards Marie and lowered his voice as to be discrete.

"So Marie," said Double Dee, "Has Lee been able to restore her tranquility following the events that took place this morning in the corridor."

"Not really," said Marie, " She is still pretty hot headed. She wouldn't stop complaining about Lindsay all the way through first period."

Double Dee turned around to to get a glimpse of Lee. Her face displayed an irritated expression and her eyes were trained to the opposite side of the gym, where Lindsay was currently seated. On the opposite side, Lindsay was sitting upright with her legs crossed as she used a nail file to maintain her pink, expensive manicured fingernails. Every two seconds or so, she glanced up from her hand to make eye contact with Lee, displaying a nasty look.

Double Dee turned back to Marie.

"This is quite the predicament isn't it?" asked Double Dee.

"Tell me about it," said Marie, "I am actually really concerned, I have a bad feeling that this is going to get very ugly very fast."

"In this case, I can only hope that your theory is incorrect," said Double Dee, "Petty conflicts are definitely not in alignment with this beautiful season of friendliness and giving."

"I agree," said Marie, "Unfortunately, Lindsay is not capable of friendliness or selflessness, and I don't believe she will ever change her petty ways. My concern is for Lee. She has worked so hard to improve herself, she has been doing better in school, and she has built a successful relationship with Eddy."

Marie paused.

"But Lindsay has hurt Lee really bad in the past, she has hurt all of us with the things that she did. I don't blame Lee for hating her, she is an arrogant snob, but challenging her and attempting to out do her could be Lee's worst mistake, as it has the danger of undoing all of the positive change she has made for herself."

Double Dee glanced upon his girlfriend with an air of concern, as it was a long time since he had heard Marie deliver words with such sincerity. He placed his hand on Maries chin and turned her face towards his.

"Don't you worry Marie," said Double Dee, "I am sure everything will turn out alright. I believe this is merely yet another one of those trials and tribulations faced during adolescence. I am confident that this will resolve itself once this absurd winter ball queen contest is over."

Marie smiled.

"You're right Double Dee," said Marie. "Maybe I am overthinking this. We'll let this one play out and see what happens. I just need to trust Lee's judgement, after all her decisions have done nothing but help me throughout my life."

A few moments passed, after which Marie decided to change the subject.

"So, Double Dee," said Marie, "Do you have anything in mind that you want for Christmas?"

"To be perfectly honest Marie," said Double Dee, "I truly have no desire for material possessions. To me, a perfect Christmas is one spent with family, friends, and my amazing significant other, all the while spreading holiday cheer, good will and peace. I already have everything I could ever ask for."

"Seriously Double Dee," said Marie, "There has to be something that you want."

Double Dee pondered for a few seconds. Before he could deliver a response, the high pitched sound of a coaches whistle filled the air. This was followed by the booming voice of the gym teacher, which was accompanied by an echo due to the cavernous nature of the gymnasium, announcing the boys and girls to separate in preparation for the fitness test.

"I am afraid we'll have to defer this conversation to a later time." said Double Dee, "It's times like these that I curse myself for my lack of athletic prowess."

"Relax cutie," said Marie, "You will do fine. And who cares if you don't? You have your own awesome talents."

Double Dee smiled, and gave Marie a quick hug. The couple parted ways as requested by the gym teacher.

As was the case every year, the gym teacher divided the class by sex, with all students of each gender taking a seat on opposing sides of the gym. The gym teacher had set up a series of traffic cones on the boundary lines of the long ends of the basketball court, setting the boundaries for the pacer test. The pacer test was an endurance test that consisted of students repetitively running from one end of the 60 ft long basketball court to the other at the sound of a beep. The duration between the beeps decreased every minute, decreasing the time allowed for rest between runs.

It just so happened that the male students were selected to perform the test first. The girls were instructed to remain seated as the group of fifty boys students lined up, single file along the starting line.

Naturally, Ed, Edd and Eddy lined up side by side. While Eddy and Ed stood quite relaxed, Double Dee was currently sweating bullets. He felt as though the temperature in the gymnasium had risen by a factor of ten, and his stomach felt as if a million butterflies were flying within. While Double Dee had no problem admitting that he did not enjoy athletics, nor did he have the talent for it, he was quite intimidated at the prospect of embarrassing himself in front of the entire gym class.

In the midst of his negative thoughts, Double Dees attention turned towards the bench that was occupied by all of the girls in the class, waiting for their turn to take the pacer test. It didn't take long for him to spot the Kanker sisters. May sat on the bench, staring dreamily at her big Ed as her hands rested on her cheeks. Lee had taken a place to her right, sitting with her legs crossed, her right leg draped over her left, and her arms folded. She was smiling rather cheerfully as she set her eyes on her diminutive boyfriend, blowing him a subtle kiss from far away when she made eye contact with him.

Lastly, Double Dee laid his eyes on his Marie. Marie was positioned next to Lee, resting her hands on her thighs as she smiled from ear to ear. Noticing the extremely nervous expression on Double Dees face, in addition to his profuse sweating, she decided to deliver him a confidence booster. She slowly mouthed the words "Good luck, you'll do great" across the gym, causing Double Dee to smile.

No sooner than Marie had delivered her message, the gym teacher blew the whistle initiating the start of the test. At the same time, a beep sounded over the gyms PA system, signaling the students to perform their first run across the court.

Double Dee, taken off guard by the sound of the whistle, dawdled slightly after which he began running towards the other side of the gym. His hands were lifted to his chest and his elbows flared out to the side as they always did whenever he ran. Surprisingly, even though Double Dee was not a conditioned athlete, he managed to keep up with the rest of the students.

Unfortunately, as the group of students reached the halfway point of their first run, one of the shoe laces on Double Dees left sneaker managed to come loose. Furthermore, the shoe lace became entangled around Double Dees opposite foot, causing him to loose his balance. This eventually resulted in Double Dees body being sent on a collision course with the floor of the gymnasium, causing an audible thud.

To make matters even worse, as Double Dees head impacted the floor, the foot of one of the other students running next to him came down directly upon his beloved black ski hat. At that moment the unthinkable had happened; in an effort to prevent the hat from being removed from his head and exposing his secret, Double Dee had gripped onto the hat as tight as he could. However, the shear force of the students sneaker striking the hat stretched the wool beyond its tensile limits, causing a small tear to form in the hat. To Double Dee, the sound of the hat tearing seemed as if it were decibels louder than the booming 1980s exercise music playing over the gyms PA system.

Double Dee rose off of the floor, and remained in a kneeling position, appearing distraught beyond belief. He remained in that position for a few seconds, enough for the students to pass him once again at the sound of a second beep.

Marie, sensing something was wrong, rose up off of the bench with a concerned expression. At that moment, Double Dee lifted himself off of the gym floor, and began running towards the door to the school corridor. Marie quickly followed suit, and was able to catch up to Double Dee.

"Double Dee!" yelled Marie as she reached his position and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Double Dee turned around slowly to face Marie, his eyes appearing as if he was about to tear up. Marie took notice of Double Dees severe state of melancholy.

"Double Dee it's okay." said Marie, "It's not big deal that you tripped and fell, you did your best."

Double Dee paused for a few seconds, after which he finally delivered a response.

"It's not the fall that I am upset about Marie," said Double Dee, "In the midst of the chaos caused by my fall, another student unfortunately stepped on my hat, causing it to tear."

Double Dee reached both of his hands up. He grabbed the small portion of the hat that was torn and opened it up slightly to show Marie. Marie placed her hand over her mouth in surprise,

"Double Dee," said Marie softly, "I'm so sorry..."

Double Dee sniffled slightly as a small tear began rolling down his face.

"This hat is what I have to remember James by." said Double Dee, "To think that it could potentially be destroyed so easily is alarming, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. But, unfortunately, this is the only practical method I have at the moment for covering up my horrendous injuries."

"Double Dee," said Marie as she placed her arms around him, "I can fix this, I have black thread at home, come over tonight and I will sew it back together."

"I appreciate your offer," said Double Dee, "I have no doubt in my mind that it can be repaired, but I have severe doubts of the integrity of the hat moving forward. I can't bear to have anything else happen to it."

There was a pause for a few seconds, after which Double Dee broke the silence.

"Please excuse me Marie," said Double Dee, "I apologize, I need some time alone to ponder the implications of this situation. I will be sure to contact you later tonight."

Double Dee turned around, tears now streaming down his face profusely, and made his way down the corridor, turning right into a different hallway when he reached the junction.

Marie remained in place in the center of the corridor well after her boyfriend had disappeared from view, herself deep in thought, brainstorming how she could best help Double Dee with this predicament.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was now 2:45 p.m., and the bell signaling the end of the academic day at Peach Creek High had just rung. Accordingly, large crowds of students poured out of the front doors of the school onto the curb as if the flood gates had opened. School buses and private vehicles lined he street, waiting to escort the school students back to their homes; the tranquil silence that was characteristic of the outside vicinity of the school during the day was replaced with the sound of hundreds of students conversing happily amongst themselves.

Five minutes after the bell had rung, the oldest and youngest of the Kanker family emerged from the school doors. May was wearing a green winter coat and had returned her hair to her favorite style: two pony tails hanging over her shoulders secured by blue bows. On her back, she carried a pink book bag, with the single strap passing across the front of her chest. Lee had let her hair back down once gym class was over, and was currently wearing her standard outfit; hip hugging blue jeans, black high heeled winter boots and a black, thigh length winter coat with grey fur trim around the collar, supplied to her by her fashion agency. While Lee claimed she only wore the coat because it was given to her for free, both of her sisters knew that she truly enjoyed her new sense of fashion. She carried a large brown handbag, also supplied to her by the agency, which had the dual duty of carrying her books as well as a standard purse.

The two girls descended the stairs as they conversed, walking side-by-side.

"I wonder what happened today in gym with Double Dee?" asked May, "I hope everything is okay, did you get a chance to talk to Marie before Mom came to get her today?"

"No I didn't." said Lee, "She left right after gym, and I didn't have any classes with the boys for the rest of the day. I wouldn't worry, I'm sure everything is perfectly fine. Those two have a great relationship, both of them seem to have some kind of superhuman ability to make each other feel better when the other is upset."

Lee paused.

"Speaking of which, why the hell did Mom pull Marie out of school early anyway?" asked Lee.

"I don't know," said May, "I asked Marie right after gym. She was in a rush to leave, and alls she told me was that it is a surprise."

"Whatever," said Lee, "So it looks like it's just us this afternoon. Marie's off doing her thing, her man is staying after school for an hour to help with that winter safety club he loves so much for some reason, and Eddy's in detention with Kevin for acting like a jackass and crab walking during the pacer test. He's so immature sometimes."

"C'mon Lee," said May with a smile, "You giggled when he did it!"

Lee cracked a small smile.

"Yeah," said Lee, "It was pretty funny. I'll admit, I think those silly little things he does sometimes are cute. He wouldn't be my Eddy without them and that's definitely one of the things that attract me to him."

Both girls giggled.

"By the way," said Lee, "Speaking of our Ed's, where yours?"

"He said he had to get home to go do something important ," said May, "He didn't tell me what he was doing...I think he might be looking for a Christmas present for me!"

May hugged herself out of excitement and jumped up and down as she smiled.

"Whoah calm down there Sally Ride," said Lee, "At that rate you're gonna wind up on the moon!"

Lee ran her fingers through her hair after which she decided to pose a question.

"So, Goofball," said Lee playfully, "Did ya decide what you wanted to get Ed for Christmas?"

May's eyes lit up.

"You bet," said May after which she removed her book bag and placed it onto the ground. She opened the zipper and pulled out a comic book ethusiasts catalogue. She quickly opened the book to a page that she had bookmarked, revealing an advertisement. She pointed to the page as she continued speaking.

"Ed's been talking about the new limited edition Slug-U-La comic book that just got released. It comes with all of the action figures, limited edition trading cards, and exclusive articles with interviews with the creators."

"That's great May and very thoughtful," said Lee, "But I can't help but notice you said the words 'exclusive' and 'limited edition' a few times. Past experience tells me that things described by those words cost money, and as far as I know you ain't got a pot to piss in."

"I know," said May, "But if it makes my Big Ed happy, I will find a way!"

"Whatever ya say." said Lee while smiling. While she often playfully teased May and was the first to deliver the truth to her when warranted, she was happy to see that her little sister had learned the meaning of selflessness and the spirit of giving.

May closed the book, and placed it back in her backpack. May delayed placing the backpack back over her shoulder so that she could adjust her hair, and left it sitting on the ground next to her. She decided to continue the conversation as she spoke.

"So what are you getting Eddy?" asked May.

Lee paused for a few seconds, before she replied.

"I haven't figured it out yet," said Lee, "Eddy ain't really interested in anything other than money, so there is always that. Between you and me, I want to get him something special and more personal than just cold cash."

At that moment, Lee's neutral facial expression turned into one of irritation as she spotted something behind May.

"But I have bigger fish to fry right now." said Lee.

May stood confused for a few seconds at Lee's statement, after which she realized that Lee's eyes were trained behind her. She quickly turned around to discover what had gotten Lee's attention.

It just so happened that Lindsay had just exited the front door of the school, and was making her way down the stairs. She was carrying a grey designer handbag, very much similar to Lee's. She had spotted Lee and May, and decided to pay them a quick visit.

"Well, well, look at what we have here." said Lindsay as she approached, "It's Annalee and Annamae, or should I say geek girl and metal mouth."

Lindsay laughed at her own joke, as the two Kanker sisters stood as still as statues with angry facial expressions. Lindsay approached May.

"By the way, Braceface." said Lindsay, "I forgot to congratulate you for setting that record for the girls pacer test in gym. I guess if you don't have an ounce of femininity, beauty or fashion sense, athletics are always a pathetic back up plan!"

Earlier in the day, May had ran 105 pacer laps, setting a new girls record for the school and receiving honorable mention on the school bulletin board. Naturally, a Kanker accomplishment was not to be taken lightly by Lindsay, and warranted a few minutes of teasing.

Lindsay laughed as she flicked her hair away from her face with her right hand prior to continuing.

"Seriously," said Lindsay, "Like, who wants to run back and forth like some kind of caged animal?"

At this point, May was visibly upset about being teased over her natural talents. As upset as May was, Lee was twice as upset. While Lee became quite aggravated when Lindsay insulted her, insults directed to her sisters were even more infuriating. Accordingly, she decided to retort.

"Oh lord," said Lee sarcastically, "God forbid little Miss Priss Statorowski get's one little drop of sweat on her face. It will be the end of the world!"

"Oh Hun, I don't need to prove myself," said Lindsay, "It's already a fact that I'm the prettiest girl in the freshman class and that's all that matters as a girl in this world, you haven't learned that yet?"

Lindsay laughed.

"I mean, look at you." said Lindsay, "Miss goodie two shoes, getting straight A's in math and science. You think you're going to win winter ball queen, but all's you are is the queen of the nerds."

At that point a black Jaguar XJ luxury car with dark tinted windows pulled up to the curb.

"Well, looks like I have to go." said Lindsay with a smile, "I'd offer you a ride back to the neighborhood, but my dads taking me to the mall to look at dresses for the winter ball. I wouldn't want to you to get too jealous before the night of the dance."

Lindsay giggled.

"See ya later losers!" she yelled, as she began walking towards her fathers vehicle, flaunting her hips heavily.

Little did Lindsay know that Lee, while having become far less aggressive than she had been a year ago, was still not one to let someone make fun of her family without going unpunished. Lindsay had barely taken a single step when she was suddenly brought down to the ground face first. This was due to Lee placing her left foot in front of Lindsay's moving leg, resulting in a successful attempt to trip her.

Due to natural instinct, Lindsay attempted to save her face from collision by placing her arms out in front of her, resulting in her hands absorbing most of the impact. Unfortunately for her, the force managed to fracture one of her long, pink, perfectly manicured nails.

Lindsay quickly recovered from the fall and lifted herself up off of the ground to a kneeling position, examining her nails in a panic.

"My nails!" yelled Lindsay, her face donning an alarmed expression. This expression quickly turned to one of fury as she glanced up towards Lee, who stared down at her nemesis with a neutral expression.

"You bitch!" yelled Lindsay, "Do you know how much that manicure costs?"

"No I don't, but it sure does look expensive," said Lee, "I guess you better watch where you are going next time and make sure you don't trip."

Lindsay rose up off of the ground, her face red with fury. She dusted off her coat, and began making her way over to her fathers car. She opened the door to the car, after which she turned around to deliver one last insult.

"I'll have my nails fixed tonight," said Lindsay, "But nothing is ever going to change the fact you two are nothing but a four-eyed geek and a bucked toothed barbarian. You just remember that! That crown is mine on the 23rd!"

Lindsay disappeared inside the car and slammed the door shut. The vehicle briskly pulled away from the school building. The anger from Lindsay's previous statement began to build up in Lee, as the two girls stood in silence for a few seconds. May took notice of Lee's red face, and her clenched fists.

"Lee?" asked May, "Are you okay?"

"I hate her, I hate her, I HATE HER!" yelled Lee at the top of her lungs, slightly frightening May, "Who does she think she is making fun of us? She ain't all that, as much as she thinks she is!"

"Calm down Lee," said May, "Who cares what she thinks. All's that matters is that we are happy! We've got each other, our amazing Eds, and the beautiful Christmas season to look forward to."

"She always wins!," said Lee as she removed her glasses from her face, "Well she's not going to win this time. She needs to be smacked down a few pegs. I'm going to win that winter ball queen and put that stuck up bitch in her place no matter what it takes!"

Lee placed her glasses in their case, and shoved them into her handbag. She proceeded to walk aggressively away from the school, towards the direction of the cul-de-sac.

"C'mon May, let's go home." said Lee, "I've got work to do, and I need your help."

May watched as her sister stomped aggressively in the direction of the cul-de-sac, with an expression of concern. After a few seconds, May lifted her pink backpack off of the ground, placed it around her body, and began running to catch up with her older sister.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Authors Note:**_ _Hello everyone! I just wanted to take the time to say thank you for reading the story and sticking by me throughout the process. I really enjoy writing this story, and the readers make it all worthwhile. Please read and review!_

 _Without further ado here's number 6._

 **Chapter 6**

It was a tranquil late afternoon in Peach Creek. The time was 5:30 p.m. and due to it being December, the sun had already disappeared over the horizon. The cul-de-sac was far from total darkness, as the soft cream colored glow of the street lights intermittently placed along the curbs bathed the streets with their light.

The afternoon was quite difficult for Double Dee. Due to the unfortunate incident in gym class, he unable to concentrate on his beloved academic studies, resulting in a seemingly endless feedback loop of bad feelings. To make matters worse, he was not able to locate Marie to apologize for his abrupt exit from gym class, due to her being dismissed early from school.

As president of the Peach Creek High Safety Club, Double Dee had spent his time after school chairing the meeting and organizing school events for the club. This had allowed him to calm down and clear his mind, although he still worried about the present and future state of his beloved hat.

Double Dee had been home for around an hour, and had finished up all of his homework and afternoon chores, and had made already made dinner. He had decided that it was time to take Marie up on her offer to visit her that night so that she could assist him in repairing his hat. In addition, he wanted to apologize for his quick exit earlier in the day. He donned his thick winter coat, after which he exited his house intent on making his way across the street to the Kanker residence.

Meanwhile, at the Kanker-Lonergan residence, the entire family was seated around their dining room table, preparing for their evening feast. The family, in accordance with their Catholic traditions, had just said their grace. They were currently conducting the daily ritual of passing each dinner item around the table, allowing each member of the family to place a helping on their plate.

As the family began enjoying their meal, Marie decided that it was time for an important announcement. With a smile, she stood up from her chair, and tapped the side of her drink glass, jokingly imitating common tradition for toasting.

"Okay everyone!" said Marie, "It's time for me to share some exciting news!"

May placed her fork down on her plate, but continued chewing the absurd amount of food she had shoved into her mouth already, so much in fact that her cheeks appeared as if they were a pair of grapefruit stuck to the side of her face. Lee, in a much more lady like fashion, placed her utensils onto her plate, and turned her attention towards her sister, her thoughts still somewhat consumed with beating out her arch nemesis. Tabby and Rod momentarily ceased eating as well. As Marie stood up to deliver her news, the two adults glanced at each other with concerned expressions on their faces.

Around the same time that Marie had struck her glass with her spoon, Double Dee had arrived at the Kanker residence. While Double Dee held privacy in the highest regard, he accidentally glanced into the window of the house as he passed on his way to the front door. Realizing that the family was in the middle of dinner, he had planned to return at a later time to see Marie. However, just as it happened previously regarding Marie's sketchbook, his curiosity got the best of him when he heard Marie mention that she had good news. Against his moral wishes, he decided to crouch down below the window into a position in which he could not be seen, but could hear the conversations occurring within.

Marie continued with her delivery.

"Well, as you two know," she said, referring to Lee and Marie, "I left school early today to go somewhere with Mom. The truth is, Mom found an optomologist a few months ago who is the best in her field regarding eye muscle corrections."

"Annemarie..." said Tabby rather softly, "Maybe we shou..."

In a fit of excitement, Marie's ears did not register any of Tabby's words. She continued her story.

"We've been going to her the last couple of Saturdays, and she's been running a lot of tests to see if it would be possible to fix my eye. Well, we had an appointment with her today, and guess what she said?"

There was a slight pause, at which point May began smiling heavily, followed by a slight smile from Lee as well.

"I qualify for the surgery that's going to fix my eye alignment, and make me finally be able to see normally!" yelled Marie.

At that moment, May jumped to her feet, yelling out of excitement. She quickly ran around the table to her sister, wrapping her arms around her. Lee, while rather excited for her sister as well, rose from her seat in a much slower manner, and made her way around to show her support for Marie.

Outside, Double Dee had overheard the entire conversation, and was quite ecstatic as well. He was currently smiling from ear-to-ear, excited at the prospect that Marie would finally be able to have her eye fixed.

Rather than being excited for the news, Tabby and Rod remained seated with melancholy expressions. Tabby decided to break the silence.

"Annemarie," said Tabby, "There is something we need to discuss."

All three Kanker girls glanced toward their mother, their excited faces replaced with neutrality. Rod decided to continue the conversion.

"I called our medical insurance company as soon as Mommy told me the good news earlier today to get the ball rolling from a financial standpoint." said Rod, "Unfortunately, the firefighters health benefits program isn't going to cover the entire cost of the surgery, and we will have to provide $ 800.00 out of our own pocket to make it happen."

Rod paused prior to continuing.

"I know you were excited about having the correction done before the end of the year, but with the new bills, the chimney needing to be fixed last month, and the heater needing replacement, we can't afford it now or any time soon."

Rod and Tabby rose up out of their chairs and walked towards Marie. Both adults wrapped their arms around their middle daughter, both with disheartened expressions on their faces.

"I am so sorry Babygirl." said Tabby, "I was told by the provider that this would be ruled essential, not cosmetic. When they got the new information from Dr. Hutchinson, they changed their mind."

Lee and May stood as still as statues, watching their parents comfort Marie, and upset at the fact that their sister had the thing she had always wanted snatched away from her as it was right before her eyes. May appeared as if she was about to tear up, while Lee's face donned an expression of annoyance.

Surprisingly, Marie did not shed a tear, nor appear to be upset. She decided to reply.

"Oh well," said Marie, "Mommy, Daddy, you guys have done so much to help me try to get this done over the last few months, and I really appreciate all of the effort. You know, Double Dee once told me that he believes that things always seem to happen for the best, and that combined with the fact that Poppy always told us that God has a plan for all of us helped me realize that you can't control fate. Maybe this is all for the best."

Tabby and Rod glanced at each other, both still somewhat disheartened at the fact that their daughter was yet again denied having her visual handicap corrected.

"Hey," said Marie with a smile, "I've lived fourteen years with it already, and I've done fine so far. What is another seventy?"

Rod and Tabby smiled at Marie's statement, after which Tabby placed her hand on Marie's shoulder.

"Annemarie," said Tabby, "Poppy would be so proud of you. You are faced with many challenges but you are a fighter, and trust in your faith. You never cease to amaze me."

Marie smiled at her mother's words; deep down she was quite disheartened at the prospect of not being able to receive corrective surgery, but she knew that the outcome was completely out of her control.

Meanwhile, outside of the house Double Dee had heard the whole conversation unfold, and accordingly was feeling quite upset with the situation. Marie had done so well for herself since she and Double Dee had claimed themselves a couple. She had ceased allowing her past to haunt her, obtained a positive outlook on life, stopped misbehaving in school and had begun to show everyone the beautiful person she really was. Even though fate had decided that Marie should not receive the surgery, and Marie was accepting of the fact, Double Dee couldn't help but feel sorry that Marie continued to be dealt a bad hand even though she had improved herself so much. Marie was a loving girlfriend and a beautiful person; she deserved this.

With that thought, a solution to Marie's problem popped into his head. Double Dee had strived to make Marie happy at all costs, and in this case covering all costs would be the solution. He had made up his mind on Marie's Christmas present: somehow, someway he was going to raise the money to cover the costs of Marie's eye surgery. While the costs were much greater than any amount of money Double Dee had ever touched in his life, and while it's acquisition was quite implausible, he knew he could not let his girlfriend down; especially after all she had given him over the last few months.

Double Dee quietly made his exit from underneath the Kanker's window, all the while brainstorming his plan to fund Marie's Christmas present. He decided to return to the Kanker residence at a later time to see Marie, as to not interrupt the Kankers dinner.

Inside the Kanker residence, Tabby and Rod had retaken their seats at the dinner table. May, with a teary eyed expression, hugged her big sister tightly. May knew exactly what Marie was going through, as she was in the same situation regarding her overbite. She loved the self-confidence boost her braces had given her, and wished that Marie could experience the same feeling.

Lee was quite upset at the current state of affairs as well, as she hated to see one of her sisters feelings hurt. However, rather than remaining calm and concerned, anger was building up inside the red haired adolescent, due to the thought of yet another misfortune befalling her family, in addition to the stress she was dealing with from Lindsay in school.

All three Kanker girls retook their place around the table, and resumed eating dinner. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Rod decided to initiate a new conversation.

"So girls," said Rod, "How was school today?"

"Well," said Marie, "I figured that you would want to know that your youngest daughter is now the record holder for the school fitness test. One hundred and five laps on the pacer!"

Tabby and Rod congratulated May with smiles, delivering praise for her accomplishment, as May blushed. She decided to add her own comments.

"You know what else is exciting?" said May, "The school is having a formal winter ball and Ed is taking me! It's going to be so much fun!"

May hugged herself out of excitement.

"Yeah," said Marie with a smile, "I can't wait, Edd and I are going to have a blast."

Tabby and Rod smiled at their two younger daughters displays of joy, after which they turned to their oldest daughter. They couldn't help but notice that Lee was not displaying excitement, rather she seemed to be focused intently on her own thoughts.

"So Reds?" asked Rod, "Are you going to the ball?"

Before Lee could respond, May decided to absentmindedly interject.

"Ooh yeah!" said May, "That's the other exciting news. Lee and Eddy are going together, and guess what, Lee is going to run for Winter Ball Queen!"

Lee slammed her fork down on the table in a rather aggressive manner, causing some alarm from both Rod and Tabby.

"Bad subject May," said Marie, as she placed her hand on her face and slid it down over her chin.

"Winter Ball Queen?" asked Tabby, "What is that?"

"It's a prize that's given at the ball to the girl that has the best holiday spirit!" said May.

"Yeah," said Lee, "And no matter what it takes, I'm going to put that stuck up prissy blonde bimbo in her place!"

"Annalee!" said Rod rather sternly, "Language!"

"Why is everyone defending her!" yelled Lee as she rose up from her seat. She turned around, grabbed her coat off of the coat rack, and headed towards the front door, "She's the meanest, snottiest, sluttiest girl in the class, and everyone acts like she runs the place. Well I'm telling ya, she's falling off her high horse on the night of the dance if I have anything to do about it."

Lee opened the front door, turning around to deliver one last sentence.

"SHE AIN'T ALL THAT!" yelled Lee, after which she walked outside and slammed the door shut.

The resulting door slam made the house feel as though it shook off of it's foundation. At the dinner table, each member of the Kanker family was left in a state of shock: Rod sat staring at the door, surprised at the display he just witnessed, as did Tabby. May also remained locked in a gaze at the door, her cheeks once again puffed out as she had just stuffed a large helping of mashed potatoes into her mouth. Marie sat with her face in her palm, emnbarrased at the display Lee had just put on.

Rod decided to be the first to break the silence.

"I'm defending who now?" asked Rod in a confused manner

"I haven't heard language like that in around six months!" said Tabby, "Who the hell got under her skin?"

Marie glanced up toward her mother.

"Lindsay Statorowski," said Marie, "She and Lee are in a heated battle for this stupid winter ball queen competition. The funny thing is, I know Lee doesn't even want it for herself, it's just to spite Lindsay."

"Oh well," said Tabby, "She's at that age where she gets moody. As long as she doesn't get too carried away, I think everything will work out."

There was a pause for a few minutes, after which May laid her utensils down with an audible clink, declaring that she had cleaned her plate.

"Well that was delicious!" said May, "Well time for me to go practice pitching out back!"

May turned to Marie, who had just finished up as well.

"Marie, can you catch for me?" asked May.

"Sure!" said Marie, as she grabbed her and May's plate off of the table, "Go get ready while I take these out to the kitchen."

"Sure thing!" yelled May, after which she briskly left the dining room to go get ready for her softball practice. Marie placed all of the dishes on top of each other, and proceeded to carry them out to the kitchen, leaving Tabby and Rod in the dining room by themselves.

Tabby turned to Rod.

"Lindsay Statorowski," said Tabby, "I haven't heard that name in around six years prior to the girls starting high school."

Tabby paused.

"It's such a shame what happened between those two back then," said Tabby, "Children learn what they live, and unfortunately it lead to all of this bitterness."

"I know," said Rod, "Still, I don't like all of this negativity, and I think this winter ball queen thing is a bad idea."

"I'm not crazy about it either," said Tabby, "In all honesty, it sounds crazy, but I think this is one of those things that is going to resolve itself given time. I think this just part of Annalee's growing experience, and she needs to figure out the best way to handle this for herself."

Rod shrugged his shoulders as if he was in disagreement, at which point Tabby placed her hand on his shoulder with a smile.

"Have I been wrong before Roddy?" asked Tabby, "Besides, it's a girl thing, you wouldn't understand."

Tabby kissed Rod on the cheek, after which she stood up from her chair and made her way to the kitchen, leaving Rod in the dining room with a smile on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The Tuesday school day was rather uneventful for the Ed's, their Kanker counterparts and all of their friends. It was around 4:30 p.m., and school had been dismissed for about an hour. The weather was quite chilly, and due to it being the twilight hours, the sun had begun it's descent below the horizon. Accordingly, the sky was illuminated in beautiful orange, red and pink hues.

During lunch the previous day, the Ed boys had decided that they would spend the afternoon scouting out the business district, searching for Christmas gifts for their loved ones. Unfortunately, Ed was absent due to having another unknown commitment, leaving Eddy and Double Dee to undertake the adventure without his lovable oafish antics.

Double Dee and Eddy we're currently standing outside one of the large department stores lining the street. The storefront had a very large window, which served as a display for the holiday season. At the heart of the display was a very elaborate train set, consisting of various interconnected tracks. Small scale models of steam locomotives pulled small box cars, each decorated with a Christmas theme, around the track as "Jingle Bells" played over the stores PA system. Around the tracks were several models of houses, stores, and other buildings, in addition to elaborate Christmas trees. At the center of the entire display was a large, realistic Santa Claus doll. The doll was outfitted in his classic red and white suit and hat, and was currently posed as if he was reading a list of names, presumably of children on the "good" list.

Double Dee observed the trains pass in front of him with a smile on his face, as he clasped his hands out of excitement and joy. In contrast, Eddy appeared to be in a borderline catatonic state. His eyes appeared droopy, with heavy bags lining the underside, and while he too was excited about the Christmas season, he did not have the energy to enjoy it as much as he liked.

"My oh my," said Double Dee, "Kresslers has really outdone themselves this year. This is their best Christmas display yet."

Double Dee turned to Eddy.

"Isn't it just wonderful Eddy?" asked Double Dee.

"Yeah, it's great!" said Eddy in a somewhat sarcastic manner, as he leaned his elbow on the concrete slab lining the bottom of the window, and rested his chin on his hand.

"Come now Eddy," said Double Dee, "Where is your holiday spirit? As Ed and I have already decided on what we are going to procure for our significant others, the entire purpose of this trip is for you to decide what you are going to purchase for Lee. How could you possibly locate the perfect gift if your heart is not fully engaged?"

Eddy groaned.

"I don't have to," said Eddy, "Lee's already made up her mind about what she wants."

"That's wonderful Eddy," said Double Dee, "May I ask what it is?"

Eddy smiled sarcastically

"Lindsay Stata-whatever the hell her name is to get packed up in a crate, put on a plane and sent off to Timbuktu." said Eddy with an angry look, "And for my own damn sanity, I wish I had the money and power to make that happen!"

Eddy stepped away from the window and began pacing up and down the curb as Double Dee watched with concern.

"All damn night!" said Eddy, "She was supposed to come over to help me get ready for the math test on Friday, but when she showed up she was all pissed off about this Winter Prom Princess thing and did nothing but talk about it for three hours. Then after she leaves, she video chats me on my phone until around 1:00 a.m. complaining even more"

"Well that explains your lack of energy throughout the school day." said Double Dee, "Did you attempt to reason with her and explain your frustration as I suggested prior to gym class yesterday?"

"I tried but couldn't get a word in edge wise!" yelled Eddy.

Eddy paused briefly before continuing, emphasizing the characteristic and unique working classic accent that Lee inherited from the city she grew up in as if to imitate her.

"I need a custom dress, I need to get my hair done, youse guys need to help me rally votes, you need to help me bake cookies. Lindsay this, Lindsay that, Lindsay, Lindsay, LINDSAY!"

Eddy took a seat on the curb. He positioned his elbows on his knees with his face resting on his palms. Double Dee walked over toward his friend and took a seat next to him. He placed his hand on Eddy's shoulder.

"Come now Eddy," said Double Dee, "I won't lie, Lee does have a temper sometimes, but I do not doubt for a minute that she truly adores you. If I were to warrant a guess, I believe she is placing confidence and trust in you as her lover to express her emotions. As much as I abhor violence and confrontation between individuals, Lee obviously harbors an intense hatred for Ms. Statorowski, and from what Marie has told me, she has caused nothing but trouble for Lee from the time they were children."

"So now I have to pay nowadays for stupid kiddie arguments!", said Eddy in an annoyed tone, "She needs to just get over it!"

"Eddy!" yelled Double Dee, "I'm surprised at you! This is your girlfriend you are talking about and you really should show some understanding."

"What you need to understand Sockhead," said Eddy, "Is that if I hear the name Lindsay Statorowski one more time, I'm going to wind up spending Christmas in Peach Creek Asylum!"

Double Dee sat next to his friend in silence, pondering what he could possibly do to remedy this situation and relieve Eddy's frustration. As he scanned around the area, he took notice of the candy store directly across the street. In the window was a large sign that read:

Brand New! Exclusive to the Holiday Season

CANDY CANE FLAVORED JAWBREAKERS

It had been quite awhile since Double Dee and his friend had enjoyed a jawbreaker, and he knew that he was long overdue. He reached into his pocket to ensure he had fifty cent to spare, after which he decided to make Eddy an offer.

"Excuse me Eddy," said Double Dee, after which he pointed across the street, "It has come to my attention that we have not been able to enjoy a jawbreaker together in quite some time. Perhaps the sugary, divine sweetness of those flavorful spheres will assist in calming your nerves?"

Double Dee stood up, after which he reached his hand out to help his friend up.

"Come now," said Double Dee, "It's my treat."

Eddy thought for a few seconds, after which he smiled and grabbed his friends hand.

"Well since your footing the bill, how can I not say yeah." said Eddy.

Double Dee smiled as he helped Eddy into a standing position, knowing that Eddy's comment was not delivered put of greed, but rather out of playful friendship. The two boys made their way across the street toward the candy store to procure their beloved jawbreakers.

Ten minutes had passed, and the boys had retook their place sitting on the curb in front of the department store, the only difference being that each of their cheeks now housed a rather large jawbreaker; so large in fact that it appeared that the boys cheeks would explode at the slightest touch.

The boys enjoyed their jawbreakers for a few minutes, their faces carrying an air of relaxation, before Double Dee began the conversation.

"Ah, to think I had forgotten how delicious these delectable candy spheres are!" said Double Dee.

"You said it pal," said Eddy, "Thanks a lot buddy, I owe you one."

"No worries Eddy," said Double Dee.

"It's funny thinking about all the crazy stuff we used to do just to get a hold of these things," said Eddy, "All the time we spent coming up with scams just to earn a few bucks, and then the girls would come and steal it away from us."

"It's still quite surreal to think that less than a year ago we viewed our Kankers as our arch enemies" said Double Dee.

"Yep," said Eddy, "Ya know, I'll be honest with ya. I never thought I would wind up dating Lee."

Eddy giggled jokingly prior to continuing.

"She's tough as nails, hell I know she can kick my ass easily and I'm still afraid of her to this day. But she is also so sweet, and I know she would do anything for her friends and family. That's what really attracts me to her, and seeing her so upset over her fight with Lindsay is frustrating."

Eddy twirled his thumbs as he continued speaking

"She's never told me anything about what exactly happened between her and Lindsay, other than that she hates her. I know Lee's been bullied, as hard as that is to believe, but I wish I could convince her to let the past behind and just ignore this girl. She's just a spoiled brat, and Lee letting her get to her as bad as she is is just stupid. She really needs to just get over it"

Eddy looked towards Double Dee.

"But like Lee says, we Ed's are suckers for bad girls with big hearts, and if this winter ball thing is so important to her, I'm going to make her happy."

Eddy paused.

"I don't know how I'm going to do it, but somehow someway, I'm going to get her that $ 600.00 dress she wants, and the matching suit for me...I'd figure I'd at least give her the honor of me standing next to her looking sharp the night of the dance."

Eddy winked as he delivered a sly grin. Double Dee couldn't help but smile, not only at Eddy's classic sense of humor, but also at Eddy's genuine display of selflessness.

"Eddy", said Double Dee, "That is a wonderful idea, and I am sure Lee will unfathomably appreciate it!"

Double Dee dusted off his jeans with his hand.

"It seems that that jawbreaker fulfilled it's purpose of bringing you to your senses." said Double Dee as he giggled.

"Hey, I never said it was gonna be easy!" said Eddy, "I know I'm going to get all wrapped up in all kinds of crap with this winter ball queen campaign, and it's not like I'm happy with it."

"Whatever you say Eddy." said Double Dee.

The boys shared a smile, after which they set in silence enjoying their jawbreakers for a few more minutes Double Dee decided to continue the conversation.

"It's quite a shame that Ed couldn't be here with us," said Double Dee, "Sharing laughs over jawbreakers with my two best friends has been one of the greatest highlights of my adolescent years, and it just doesn't seem complete without our triumvirate fully assembled."

"Yeah," said Eddy, "Where the hell has Lumpy been anyway? He's been playing Houdini for the last few days."

"True, Ed has been behaving in an extremely secretive manner over the last couple of days." said Double Dee, "It's certainly not like Ed to be able to keep a secret for too long, as his excitement more often than not, gets the best of him."

"Whatever," said Eddy, "I'm sure he's fine, he's probably been inside shoving popcorn in his face while he watches all those old Christmas specials. If it's anything important he'll wind up blabbing it."

"I suppose," said Double Dee.

The boys continued chatting about memories past, as well as the present situation, for around a half hour, at which point their jawbreakers had completely dissolved returning their cheeks to their normal state. The sun had gone down completely, the street lights had come on, and the entire business district was abuzz with people taking advantage of the sales the stores had to offer. The Christmas decorations lining the store front windows shined brightly in hues of red, green and white. At the same time, a group of Christmas Carolers took their place on the street corner and began singing a rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in perfect harmony.

"Well it's dark," said Eddy, "I guess we should be heading back."

"I concur," said Double Dee, "Father just returned home from Hawaii, and I am excited to share that he will be spending his time from now until after the New Year working back in Peach Creek. Mother is home as well, and we have an exquisite feast planned for tonight. It was insisted that I be home at 5:30 in order to facilitate our dinner plans."

"Funny," said Eddy, "My folks were on me about getting home at 5:30 for dinner this morning too."

"Interesting," said Double Dee, "It must be some sort of coincidence, as I am not aware of any other plans."

"Well one things for sure," said Eddy, "We gotta high tail it out of here now if we want to make it back in time. C'mon Sockhead, let's andale!"

The two Ed boys rose off of the curb, and began making their way back to the cul-de-sac. Eddy walked with his hands stuffed in his pockets, as Double Dee clasped his hands out of excitement, admiring the beautiful decorations lining the streets.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ten minutes had passed since Double Dee and Eddy had begun their journey back to the cul-de-sac. They had left the hustle and bustle of the business district, and were currently making their way down the much more suburb-like cross street that would eventually lead to the neighborhood they called home.

Within the last few months, the area within the vicinity of the Rethink Avenue cul-de-sac had received significantly more development. The construction site, which served as a host to a variety of the Ed's scams, including an appearance of the "Mucky Boys", was now completely developed into it's own independent cul-de-sac, with it's street name being Haventhought Way. The houses constructed as part of Phase Two of the Peach Creek Estates project were much larger and more elaborate than the ones of phase one; that being said, the inhabitants tended to be more wealthy than the Rethink avenue residents, whose houses were designed to house the middle class bracket. Unfortunately, this development happened to be the location of the Statorowski residence. The proximity of her house to the Kankers provided even more of an opportunity for her to annoy the girls.

As the two boys passed the entrance to the Haventhought Way cul-de-sac, Eddy glanced at his cell phone to check the time.

"Five minutes to five-thirty," said Eddy, "Just in time!"

"Thank goodness," said Double Dee, "As you know, I hold punctuality in the highest regard, and I couldn't bear to be late for a family gathering, especially one in which mother and father are both present."

"Hey," said Eddy, "What's that!?"

Eddy pointed his index finger towards the direction of the center of the cul-de-sac. As the boys passed the entrance to the lane, a large tower-like structure appeared in the distance. The device somewhat resembled a metallic version of gallows; it consisted of a tall structure made of scaffolding, not dissimilar from the mast of a tower crane, braced by large diagonal legs. At the top of the tower, a cross beam supported by a diagonal bracket spanned to the center of the cul-de-sac. At the end of the cross beam was a hook, attached to which was what seemed to be a pulley.

In addition to the large, load-bearing fixture installed in the middle of the cul-de-sac, the entire street appeared to be glowing with a brightness that seemed to be comparable to the sun. The light was of a multicolored hue, and seemed to overtake the cream colored glow of the street lights. Eddy and Double Dee shot each other perplexed glances, after which they quickly rounded the corner to investigate.

Both boys were completely taken a back as they laid eyes on their home street; while they were in school, the entire cul-de-sac had been transformed into a winter wonderland. All of the adults of the cul-de-sac had chipped in to hang what seemed like miles of multicolored lights across the length of the street. Elaborate displays had been constructed on each families lawn, each accented with multicolored flashing lights. Even Rolf's family had placed Christmas lights around the eaves of their house. In accordance with their traditions, the family had decorated the lawn with hand carved ornaments (which seemed to be decades old) depicting holiday customs of their old country, and of course the great Yeshmiyek.

In contrast to the ordinary peace and quiet that was characteristic of the cul-de-sac, on this particular night, the area was thriving just as much as the business district on a typical evening. In a truly rare instance, every single resident of the cul-de-sac, adult and juvenile, was outside participating in the festivities.

Ed's bubbly, blonde haired mother was currently assisting Jimmy's mother in placing the finishing touches on the light display adorning her lawn. Nearby, Johnny's father worked with Jimmy's father to inflate a large inflatable version of Saint Nick. Due to the men's mutual obsession with ice hockey, the figure donned an orange and black jersey, depicting a birds wing on it, as they were fans of Peach Creeks parent city's hockey team. The remaining mothers were working together in an assembly line-like manner to manufacture custom Christmas bows: Johnny and Nazz's mothers cut red fabric in sections from the roll, Eddy's mother folded them into the shape of a bow, Tabby and Double Dees mother secured pieces of holly to the folded sections, and Rolf's mother and Nana sewed them with their trusty sewing machine.

In the middle of the cul-de-sac, Rod and Mr. Van Bartonschmeer were working to complete the installation of the scaffolding. They were currently using wrenches to tighten the bolts holding the diagonal support bars to the base of the main tower. Due to Nazz's father being a city police officer, the two men conversed about the current state of city civil service benefits as they worked, and their dissatisfaction with the current mayors treatment of their unions. After the two men finished tightening the bolts, the joints were inspected by Eddy's father. Eddy's father worked as a rigger at a local shipyard, and was charged on a daily basis with inspecting such equipment for safety.

After giving Rod and Mr. Van Bartonschmeer his satisfactory approval, he turned his attention to the center of the cul-de-sac. Double Dees father, using his engineering knowledge, had constructed a large, cylindrical contraption. The device contained a basin in the bottom, designed to hold a large amount of fluid. On top of the basin was a pedestal, with adjustable screw clamps mounted radially around the outside wall. The apparatus seemed to be designed to hold a large object in a vertical position. Double Dee had definitely inherited his technical knowledge from his father, as the thin bespectacled man used protractors and t-squares to perform the final adjustments of his invention.

Sarah and Jimmy, being only nine years old, were very much thrilled with the transformation of the cul-de-sac. The two had just exited the front door of Ed's house and were staring in awe at the almost magical environment.

"Sarah!" yelled Jimmy in his high pitched voice, "It's so beautiful, it's as if my dreams have come true. A magical beautiful winter wonderland, right in my own back yard!"

"Look, a bounce house!" yelled Sarah with a smile as she pointed towards the inflatable fixture, "Come on Jimmy!"

Sarah grabbed Jimmy's hand in hers and led him towards the opening of the bounce house. The two children entered and began enjoying themselves, laughing as they bounced exuberantly.

Eddy and Double Dee, still stunned by the transformation of their cul-de-sac, had not said a word to each other. The two boys made their way down the street, admiring the decorations, at which point they noticed the rest of their peers, all standing together, within the vicinity of Johnny's house. Kevin and Rolf we're currently conversing happily on the street corner, with Kevin wearing a thick green hoodie, and Rolf wearing a yellow sweater and purple sherpa hat. Johnny also stood within the ranks of his peers, wearing his orange winter coat and purple beanie hat; his best friend Plank was cradled within his right hand as always.

However, as per usual, the two Ed's eyes were entirely focused on their Kanker girlfriends as they made their approach. Marie stood next to Nazz, conversing happily with a smile as she adjusted the blue earmuffs she had acquired to protect her ears from the cold. Lee once again donned her black designer button down coat, her long red hair was flowing in the wind as the bright lights from the Christmas display reflected off of her glasses. As usual, she retained her usual "poker face," as she conversed with the much more exuberant May, who was wearing a hat that matched the sky blue color of her hair bows.

Nazz was the first to take notice of the approaching Eds. The boys watched Nazz lean her head around Marie's, whose back was currently facing the boys position. Nazz mouthed the words 'here comes Double Dee', at which point Marie turned around with a smile on her face to immediately lock eyes with her nerdy boyfriend. She rejoined her sisters as the Ed's approached their position.

"Hi Oven Mitt!" said Marie as she wrapped her arms around a Double Dees neck and kissed him on the cheek, "What have you been up to, you missed all of the fun!"

"My apologies Marie," said Double Dee, "Eddy and I lost track of time due to our unexpected procurement of a couple of jawbreakers from the candy store."

Double Dee glanced around the cul-de-sac.

"My oh my," said Double Dee, "Just look at our beloved cul-de-sac, it's even more beautiful than the business district!"

"It's great!" said Marie, "Apparently, our parents got together a couple of weeks ago, and they all chipped in to plan a community Christmas display!"

"They all took off work today and put it together." said Lee, "I gotta hand it to them, they did a bang up job with the decorations."

"You said it babe." said Eddy, "It looks great."

As the two oldest Kanker sisters conversed with their boyfriends, Mays face transformed from an expression of joy to an expression of sadness.

"May?" asked Double Dee, "What's the matter, is something troubling you?"

"Don't mind her," said Lee, "She's just been worried about Ed all day. He's been leavin' right after school for the last couple of days not sayin' nothin and May is starting to think he doesn't like her anymore. I keep telling her Big Ed's nutzo over her and he's probably just Christmas shopping or somethin, but she keeps worrying."

"It's not like him!" yelled May in her usual adenoidal, obnoxious voice. "My Ed always wants to hang out with me, and he never keeps secrets. Every time I ask him if he wanted to get together after school, he'd say 'maybe later' or just awkwardly run away."

Double Dee listened to May's story, and began to develop some concerns himself.

"I'll admit," said Double Dee, "That definitely does not fit Ed's character to just ignore someone and run away, especially someone as emotionally attached to him as you May."

"Yeah." said May, after which she sniffled, "The last time we talked, he ran away again, but before he did he said I'd find out why he was running away tonight at 5:30!"

May pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, and literally shoved it into Double Dees face.

"Look, it's 5:35 and Ed still isn't here!" yelled May.

"5:30?" asked Double Dee, "Interesting...myself and Eddy were both instructed to be back at the cul-de-sac by our parents for two completely different reasons. Eddy and I dismissed it as coincidence, but your statement that Ed had promised to explain himself to you at 5:30 on this day has incited reasonable doubt on my conclusion. Perhaps there is some overarching plan at work?"

"I don't know Sockhead," said Eddy, " The bigger question is why did my Dad set up that six ton load bearing fixture in the middle of the cul-de-sac. He's taken me to work with him to help sometimes over the past few months, and the only time we used that thing is when we need to lift full size shipping containers. What gives?"

The group stood in silence, pondering the various mysteries that stood before them for a few seconds, when suddenly their ears detected the sound of a powerful diesel engine in the distance. The sound grew in amplitude exponentially, at which point the group turned their attention towards the cross street. A beam of light shined on the road in front of the cul-de-sac, obviously emanating from the headlights of a vehicle, increasing in intensity as the volume of the engine increased.

Within seconds, the red tractor unit of a large semi truck came into view, and slowed to a stop at the entrance to the cul-de-sac. It was tandem axle, and it's chrome rims, mirror brackets and air cleaner gleamed under the lights from the houses lining the block. The yellow marker lights on top were shining bright, as the characteristic repetitive "pinging" of the idling diesel engine sounded.

At that moment, the passenger side door to the cab opened. To everyone's surprise, Ed popped his head out of the door with a wide smile. He was wearing his typical outfit, complete with his oversized green coat, but for this occasion he had chosen to don a red and white Santa Claus hat. He proceeded to climb down to the ground, and shut the door to the truck. He then turned around toward the rest of the cul-de-sac, with a smile, after which the truck began to move forward, turning into the street opposite of the cul-de-sac to position the trailer for backing in.

All of the adolescents were quite surprised when they laid eyes on what the truck was hauling. On top of the long, 50 foot tandem wheeled flatbed trailer, was an extremely large specimen of a Douglas fir. The tree was around thirty feet long, and was strapped to the top of the flatbed with several yellow slings. The entire cul-de-sac watched as the truck began backing up towards the center of the cul-de-sac, emitting a repetitive "beep" as many trucks do when in reverse gear, as Ed guided it using hand signals.

In no time, the truck had reached the center of the cul-de-sac, at which point the sound of the back-up alarm ceased. The sharp sound of air being depressurized filled the air, as the driver engaged the parking brake. At that point, the drivers side door opened, revealing Ed's father as the driver. He proceeded to climb down to the ground, and shut the door to his truck. He was a relatively tall man with a thin build. On his face was a short red beard, accenting the multitude of freckles that peppered the visible portion of his cheeks. His red hair was covered by a blue baseball cap, which advertised a logo for a famous semi truck manufacturer.

The man's boots had barely touched the ground before Sarah had taken notice of him. She quickly ran over to greet her father, her arms outstretched to deliver a hug. Ed's father happily greeted his daughter by picking her up and spinning her around a few times with a smile.

Ed walked towards his friends, his face adorned with a dopey smile, as he pointed towards the tree.

"I got a tree," said Ed in his typical oafish voice, after which he giggled.

At this point, the reason behind the construction of the load bearing fixture and the holding basin were quite clear to all of the children of the cul-de-sac.

"Ed, this is wonderful!" said Double Dee, "How brilliant, a Christmas tree for all the members of our cul-de-sac to mutually adore!"

Ed once again chimed in, going on a seemingly endless tirade as he excitedly explained the chain of events that led up to the tree delivery.

"We were talking about getting a Christmas tree for our house, and I said wouldn't it be cool if there was a great big tree outside for everyone to see. My dad said that the adults were planning to surprise us with a big Christmas display today, and then my Mom said 'why did you tell him that, it was supposed to be a surprise,' then my dad said, 'well now he knows so what's the big deal' then my mom said, 'the big deal is that you just ruined our children's holiday excitement,' then my dad said, 'C'mon Mia, Junior's got a good idea, so why don't we talk to the neighbors and all get a big tree.' and my Mom said 'Okay as long as you two don't tell Sarah or any of the other kids in the neighborhood and spoil the surprise.'

Ed paused to catch his breath, before delivering his last line.

"And now we have a tree!" said Ed.

"So let me get this straight Lumpy," said Eddy, "You came up with the idea for the tree?"

"Yep," said Ed, "I promised my Mom I'd keep it a secret, and I am really bad at keeping quiet so I avoided everyone while I was helping my dad pick out the tree and get it delivered. Sorry guys, no more disappearing Ed!"

Lee punched May in the arm.

"See!?" yelled Lee, "I told ya there was an explanation for the way Ed was acting."

May ignored Lee's punch and simply stared at Ed. The fact that Ed orchestrated such an amazing holiday display melted her inside, and accordingly tears continued to flow down her face, although now they were tears of happiness.

"Oh Ed!" yelled May as she darted forward, wrapped her arms around Ed, and inadvertently tackled him to the ground. Ed giggled as May laid on top of him, repetitively kissing him all over his face as she squeezed him tightly. Double Dee grabbed Marie's hand in his as he smiled at May's display of affection towards her boyfriend, after which they themselves shared a quick kiss.

Eddy attempted to place his arm around Lee's shoulder, but due to Lee's natural height and the boost provided by her high heels, Eddy was unable to comfortably achieve the desired result even by standing on his toes. He quickly opted to place his hand around her hip instead. Lee giggled, after which she leaned down and placed her lips on Eddy's for a few seconds. She pulled away and placed her arm around Eddy's shoulder, as she watched Ed and Mays display of affection with a smile.

Eddy's father glanced toward the boys standing on the sidewalk, raised his right hand index finger, and began swirling it in the air.

"Well boys, that's the 'mobilize to prepare for rigging' sign," said Eddy, "C'mon, let's put up a Christmas tree!"

Within seconds, all of the boys had climbed on top of the semi-trailer and worked with the adults to release all of the lashing straps securing the tree. Eddy's father used his rigging equipment to tie the hoist to the top of the tree, and began the process of rigging the tree to the vertical position for installation. As Double Dee and his father worked together to perform final vertical alignments of the tree's mounting base, Ed's father directed the bottom of the tree towards the center. After around thirty minutes, the tree was perfectly seated in it's base and Eddy's father climbed to the top of the scaffolding, to release the rigging gear.

The efforts were not complete just yet, as the tree still required decoration. For the next hour and a half, all of the adults and children of Rethink Avenue worked side-by-side to decorate the tree. Long strings of Christmas lights were hung, as well as large elaborate pieces of tinsel. Each family contributed ornaments they had purchased for the tree, specially designed in a larger size to match the tree.

The tree truly did exemplify the spirit of the cul-de-sac, as all of the different cultures were represented through the decorations. General pagan decorations depicting Santa Claus were supplemented by ornaments depicting Jesus Christ and the Nativity Scene, representing the Kanker families Catholic Faith. While Jimmy's father was a Christian, his mother was Jewish, thus Jimmy celebrated both holidays. Accordingly, to represent her faith, decorations depicting menorahs and dreidels hung from the tree. Various ornaments representing Kwanzaa also graced the trees branches, representing Jonny's mothers culture. Even Rolf's family was represented, with various ornaments depicting sausages and hams, octopus tentacles, and hand carved wooden ornaments of Yeshmiyek the troll.

Once the tree was completely decorated, Eddy and Ed's father disappeared into Eds backyard. They emerged moments later, carrying a large elaborately decorated Christmas star in their hands. Eddy's father hoisted the star to the top of the tree, climbed to the top of the scaffolding, and secured it in place, officially completing the process of decorating the tree.

The moment of truth had finally arrived. The entire cul-de-sac had gathered around the tree, each family unit standing amongst themselves, as Ed's father unraveled a long orange extension cord and carried it towards the tree. In one swift motion, he mated the male adapter attached to the tree lighting to the female adapter of the extension cord.

At that instant, the lights on the tree illuminated in various multicolored hues. The lights reflected off of the ornaments and tinsel, accentuating their beauty. The star at the top of the tree glowed brightly, as if it were the star of Bethlehem itself. The entire tree glowed so brightly, that it was visible from the business district. It was truly a magical sight.

Each family stood amongst themselves with smiles on their faces, in awe at the beauty of their work.

Eddy's father placed his arm around his wife, pulling her closer as he placed his arm on his sons shoulder.

Ed's father lifted Sarah onto his shoulders, while placing his arm around his wife, who leaned her head on his shoulder as she hugged her son tightly.

Double Dees mother placed her hand inside her husbands elbow as if she was being escorted, and placed her arm around her son's shoulder. All three family members were smiling, but at the same time holding back tears, as they were upset that their fourth member could not be here to experience this moment.

Jimmy's mother and father stood admiring the tree as well. His mother was displaying a joyous smile, as she tightly squeezed her little boy. Jimmy's father stood with a stern expression on his face, as the tough old school, sports loving "manly man" was quite afraid to show emotion. Jimmy pulled away from his mother, and proceeded to wrap his arms around his fathers waist. Jimmy's father was quite shocked at Jimmy's display of affection towards him but, as different as they were, Jimmy was his son and he loved him. Reluctantly, Jimmy's father smiled, and slowly placed his arm around his sons shoulder.

The van Bartonschmeers were also mesmerized by the tree. Nazz's father held his wife's shoulder in his right arm, as he held Nazz is in his other hand all the while cradling a cigar in his mouth. Fortunately, the van Bartonschmeers were also joined by Nazz's older sister Julia, who had just completed her fall semester at college and had returned to Peach Creek to spend the holidays with her family.

This event was perhaps the most significant for the Kanker-Lonergan family. As with all of the other residents, Rod stood in front of the tree, holding his wife Tabby in a loving embrace, as they shared a smile. Standing in front of them were all three of their daughters sharing a hug as well, with smiles on their faces. This was the first Christmas that the family had spent together in over ten years, and it was the first that they had spent with individuals who they could consider friends. The entire family couldn't have been happier.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It had been around a half hour since the tree lighting had occurred. All of the adults had fled the cold winter air for the comfort of their homes, while all of their children remained outdoors enjoying themselves. The tree lighting had garnered much more neighborhood attention than anticipated; due to the display being visible from the business district, the cul-de-sac attracted the attention of a local news station, who promptly sent out a reporter to document the display. The inhabitants of the cul-de-sac were featured that night on the six o'clock news. Various shots of their lit homes were put on display. In addition, the news featured interviews with a few of the adults and kids, including Ed, Eddy and May.

Kevin, Rolf, Ed, Eddy and May were currently in the middle of the street, tossing a football back and forth as Jonny (along with Plank) sat on the curb watching. Nazz had taken a seat across the street, painting her nails in Christmas colors as she observed the football toss. Lee had also taken a seat on the curb, her arms in a folded position and her legs crossed. Jimmy and Sarah were currently taking turns descending the inflatable slide in front of Ed's house.

Further down the street, Double Dee stood hand in hand with Marie, admiring the tree.

"What a day," said Double Dee, "This is truly the most amazing holiday display I have ever laid eyes on."

Double Dee looked towards Marie as he continued.

"And what makes this even more special, is that it was literally built by the love shared between the entire cul-de-sac. It brings me great joy to see our family and friends working together in the interest of celebrating the holiday season."

"Yeah," said Marie, "You don't know how much it means to me. I never thought my family would ever have a Christmas where my Mom and Dad would be together and we'd be able to share it as a whole family. But look at us now."

Double Dee and Marie shared a smile, after which they turned their attention back to the tree. At this point, Jimmy had taken notice of Edd and Marie, and decided to join them. He slid down the slide, and promptly skipped towards the couple. Of course, Ed's fiery red headed sister, wearing a blue sweater and matching hat, was not far behind.

"What joy," said Jimmy, "Santa is sure to see our house with the bright lights of this tree, laughing haughtily as he flies overhead in his sleigh!"

Marie smiled as she listened to Jimmy's excited banter. Jimmy and Sarah, being nine years old, still deeply believed in Santa Claus and were very excited about the approaching holiday. Marie decided to continue the conversation.

"So Jimmy," said Marie with a smile, "What did you ask Santa for this year?"

"I'm asking Santa for some brand new hair gel, guaranteed to keep my curls moisturized and bouncy, and a new EZ cook oven so I can practice making cookies myself instead of relying on my mother!"

"Yeah," said Sarah with a sarcastic look, "He needs a new one since my idiot brother and his loud mouthed friend wrecked the old one!"

Sarah shot Eddy an angry grin as she completed her previous sentence, after which she folded her arms and returned her attention to back to the tree. Marie took notice of her grouchy stare and attempted to engage her in conversation.

"How about you Sarah, what do you want Santa to bring you?" asked Marie.

Sarah delivered a snobbish stare prior to replying.

"Wouldn't you like to know." said Sarah in a sarcastic tone.

Marie was somewhat taken aback at Sarah's response, at which point Jimmy intervened.

"C'mon Sarah," said Jimmy, "I know you are crushing on Double Dee, but there's no reason to take your frustration out on Marie, especially during the holiday season."

"Jimmy!" yelled Sarah, at which point her face turned beet red.

"Oopsie," said Jimmy, "Sorry girlfriend."

Sarah still harbored a crush on Double Dee. That being said, she still behaved quite antagonistic towards Marie for dating her object of affection. Marie giggled slightly, after which she turned to Double Dee with a grin on her face. Double Dee cracked a smile, his face blushing slightly, as he shrugged his shoulders.

At that point, Jimmy kneeled down on the ground and removed a rather thick book from his sweater. The book was brown in color and was labeled in big red letters "Christmas Memories". He opened the book to the first page.

"There is nothing I enjoy more than the holiday season." said Jimmy, "This is my arts-and-crafts book. Every year my mother and I work on holiday crafts together."

Jimmy turned the page to reveal a drawing of Santa Claus, flying over Peach Creek in his sleigh. While the drawing consisted primarily of scribbles and was not colored within the lines, one could clearly make out the intent.

"This was from Christmas Eve when I was two." said Jimmy.

Jimmy paged through the book, stopping at a page containing two photographs of he and Sarah.

"Not only is this book handy for remembering holiday cheer, but it also lets us look back on our holiday fashion choices." said Jimmy, after which he pointed toward the photograph.

"As you can see, Sarah is looking marvelous as always, however clearly I did not think before I wore those horrendous shoes at the time of this photograph."

At this point, Jimmy's walk down memory lane happened to gain the attention of the remainder of the children. The boys and May ceased tossing the football and began making their way toward the tree. In addition Lee, Nazz and Jonny joined as well.

Jimmy turned the page, revealing more photographs.

"Here is a photograph of our greatest holiday masterpiece yet!" said Jimmy "This is the Holly Jolly Gingerbread Village I created last year. Each gingerbread sailor was meticulously crafted with love. Unfortunately it met it's untimely demise due to a "divine" intervention."

Jimmy turned and stuck his tongue out at Eddy. At the same time Sarah delivered the stout Ed boy an extremely nasty stare. Eddy's face remained neutral as Lee playfully punched him in the arm.

"Damn Eddy," said Lee, "No wonder this place hated ya back then, that's twice you screwed this kid over."

"Hey, what the hell," said Eddy, "I said his cookies were good and he still got mad at me, what was I supposed to do?"

Everyone shared a laugh, including Jimmy, who opted to let by-gones-be-by-gones. Sarah, however was still less than amused at Eddy's destruction of Jimmy's masterpiece, even though a years time had passed.

As the laughter died down, Rolf decided to chime in.

"All of this humblebub and merriment reminds Rolf of the joyful time shared amongst his family during the holiday in the old country." said Rolf, "Rolf too wishes to share his fond memories."

Rolf turned around and began making his way toward his residence.

"I shall retrieve the book of many holidays past from Papas memory chest. Rolf will also bring an offering of the precursor to the great feast that Nana has prepared earlier in the evening. I will return shortly, you will not be disappointed!"

Rolf darted across his lawn, opened the front door to his home and disappeared inside, leaving the rest of the cul-de-sac slightly confused. After a few seconds, Jimmy returned his attention to his book, and turned to the next page.

"Alas, we arrive at this years masterpiece." said Jimmy.

On the page was a long list of kitchen ingredients. Next to the list was a large drawing of Santa Claus, carrying a red bag full of toys. The page apparently documented plans for a giant, highly detailed cake in the likeness of the jolly, corpulent man.

"Mother and I have planned this for months." said Jimmy with excitement. He placed his arm around Sarah, embracing his best friend, "And with my Sarah by my side, I know that we can finish it in time for Christmas and share it with all of our friends."

"Jimmy!" said Sarah as she hugged her friend back, "Of course we can!"

The remainder of the cul-de-sac observed Jimmy and Sarah's interactions with a smile. Even the somewhat cynical Lee Kanker and Kevin couldn't help but crack smiles at the childhood innocence being displayed by the 'squirts'.

Jimmy pulled away from Sarah, after which he clasped his hands as he performed a pirouette out of excitement.

"Oh how I just love Christmas!" said Jimmy, "The magic and ambience are incomparable to anything else in this world. And come December twenty fourth, Jolly Old Saint Nick will make his trip around the world, delivering presents to all of the boys and girls. I simply can't wait."

Jimmy had barely finished his sentence, as a feminine voice filled the air from behind.

"Yeah right, like seriously you're bragging about believing in Santa out in public?"

The shrill sarcastic voice seemed to pierce through the air and, in response, the entire group turned their attention to the area behind them. All three Kanker sisters seemed to suddenly tense up at the of the voice; Lee in particular seemed affected the most, as she turned around to face the source of the voice.

Standing before the group was none other than Lindsay Statorowski. Lindsay wore her typical outfit of choice, however due to the cold, she donned a set of blue earmuffs, as well as a set of designer winter gloves the color of which matched the color of her earmuffs. She stood leaning on the street light post, with a sarcastic grin on her face.

"Oh good." said Eddy in a long drawn out tone under his breath, after which he groaned.

The boisterous Lee was of course the first to speak up in protest of her arch-rival's appearance.

"Wow Lindsay," said Lee, "You actually stepped foot on pavement belonging to Rethink Avenue. I thought you were too good to be seen around here, I'm surprised you aren't melting."

"Ha ha," said Lindsay sarcastically as she began walking towards Lee, her heels clicking on the ground as she intentionally flaunted her hips. Her eyes turned towards the Christmas tree.

"I couldn't help but notice this tree glowing like the sun from my house," said Lindsay, after which she pointed toward May, "Then I saw Braceface, her caveman of a boyfriend, and your little midget on television getting interviewed on the news, so I decided to come over and congratulate you all for moving up in the world...and congratulate Annamae for not breaking the camera."

May appeared disheartened at Lindsay's comment regarding her braces. At the same time Eddy's face turned bright red in fury at Lindsay's previous comment regarding his height, as any such comments automatically sent Eddy into a frenzy.

Eddy opened his mouth to retort, but he was immediately silenced by Lee, who had decided that she would be the one to make a comeback towards Lindsay.

"What's wrong Lindsay?" asked Lee, "What are ya, jealous that we got fifteen minutes of fame for our awesome Christmas display?"

"Oh please," said Lindsay, "Why would I be jealous of your tree. Your street had to band together to pay for it and go through the trouble of putting it up. My family a tree this size all to ourselves standing in our foyer, and we had the money to pay for it to be decorated."

Lindsay snickered.

"Wow," said Lee, "That's sounds really enjoyable, what does your family hate each other so much that they don't even want to spend time decorating for Christmas together?"

Lee snickered, after which she sarcastically delivered her final comment.

"Where's your holiday spirit?"

Lee's words seemed to touch a nerve with Lindsay, as an angry glare appeared on her face.

"Holiday spirit?" yelled Lindsay, after which she began walking towards Jimmy. She snatched Jimmy's journal out of his hand.

"Hey!" yelled Jimmy.

Sarah growled furiously as her face turned red out of anger, her anger being directed at Lindsay just as it was with anyone that chose Jimmy as a target for bullying. Just as she was about to pounce at Lindsay, she was suddenly restrained by Marie. Marie was quite surprised with how much strength it took to hold Sarah back, but eventually, using her martial arts teachings, she was able to restrain Sarah. She positioned Sarah as to look her directly in the eye.

"No," said Marie, "Lee has this under control. Lee will not let anything bad happen to that book, trust me."

Sarah, while still aggravated, calmed down slightly and turned her attention back to Lindsay.

Lindsay skimmed through the pages of Jimmy's book laughing sarcastically.

"This is what you mean by holiday spirit?" said Lindsay, "How cute, baking cookies, and staying up late waiting for Santa Claus. I can't believe that you two actually still believe in Santa, I mean come on a fat slob flying around the world delivering presents all one night, how pathetic!"

Jimmy's lower lip began to quiver as if he was about to cry, as the rest of the cul-de-sac remained silent.

"Lindsay," said Lee rather sternly, "Whatever beef we have is one thing, but you would be smart to leave the little kids out of this."

"Oh I'm sorry," said Lindsay, "Did I crush someone's dreams? I am only being honest and trying to help these kids not make fools of themselves by believing in childish lie..."

Lindsay could not finish her sentence prior to being silenced by Lee.

"Give the fucking book back right now!" yelled Lee at the top of her lungs, as she held her fist up to Lindsay's face.

The entire cul-de-sac winced in fear at the sound of Lee's words, which seemed to place everyone in a visible catatonic state. For a few brief seconds, the cul-de-sac was completely devoid of any sound as everyone stood completely still, started by Lee's sudden outburst.

Lindsay stared at Lee for a split second, legitimately shocked as well, after which she regained her composure.

"Whatever," said Lindsay sarcastically. She proceeded to reach both of her hands out in front of her, using them to drop the book onto the ground in front of Jimmy. Jimmy promptly swept the book off of the ground.

"My memories!" said Jimmy as he cradled the journal in his arms. Immediately, Sarah ran to his side, comforting her best friend by placing her arms around him.

"It's not like I need to prove my point," said Lindsay, "You're all equally pathetic."

Lindsay began to pace back and forth.

"By the way Geek Girl," said Lindsay, "Have you heard about the winter talent contest?"

"No, I haven't." said Lee in an annoyed tone, "Why don't you fill me in Little Miss Diva."

"Not like it's even worth mentioning to you," said Lindsay, "But the school is having a talent show next Wednesday. I figured it would be a perfect way for me to seal the deal and show the class that I'm definitely queen."

"And what makes you think that I can't win this talent contest?" asked Lee

"Oh Hun, the only talents you have are being an aggressive Neanderthal and a geek!" said Lindsay, after which she laughed.

"Well guess what?" said Lee, "You just convinced me to enter the talent show. And I'm going to win!"

"Wow," said Lindsay, " I guess I am very persuasive. Now the only thing left to do is to wait to see what you losers can come up with by Wednesday. Oh, and try not to embarrass yourself too much, although you really don't have that far to fall."

Lindsay laughed as she began walking away from the group.

"BuBye now!" said Lindsay. She proceeded to make her way down the sidewalk, as she cackled in the manner of a witch, once again leaving Lee in an irritated state.

Lee remained motionless, her fists clenched by her sides, as she watched Lindsay make her way down the street. Nazz was the first to break the silence within the group.

"Ugh, Lindsay Statorowski," said Nazz, "It feels like all of the fun has been sucked out of cheerleading since she joined. She used her money to buy all of the girls support, and now she's captain of the team. It's a nightmare."

"How awful," said Jimmy in a panic as he watched Lindsay make her way down her sidewalk, "Such perfect waves, obviously sculpted by a stylist that knows their craft, wasted on a horrible attitude."

"C'mon Jimmy," said Sarah, "Who needs her anyway? Let's go inside and get started on planning our cake."

Sarah helped Jimmy up off of the ground, took his hand and began leading him towards his house.

As the remainder of the group listened to Nazz tell more horror stories about Lindsay, the blonde haired brat was currently making her way past Rolf's residence. At the same time, Rolf had re-emerged from his humble home, his book of family traditions wedged under his arm, as he carried a large dish containing Nana's concoction for his friends to try.

Rolf had barely taken two steps, when he suddenly froze in place. His eyes widened, and his jaw became heavy as he focused on one particular individual; Lindsay Statorowski.

Rolf's eyes remained focused on Lindsay as she walked by, in what seemed like slow motion. Rolf's altered version of reality caused her blonde hair to bounce up and down as she walked, and her face to display a sultry smile. Additionally, in his reality, he saw her eyelashes much longer and exaggerated; he envisioned her training her eyes toward him slowly, as she blinked, batting them softly upon locking them with his own.

Of course, all of this occurred within seconds, and none of the actions that occurred within Rolf's psyche actually happened in reality. Lindsay strutted her stuff all the way to the end of the cul-de-sac, Rolf's eyes tracking her all the way, and turned the corner onto the cross street.

Due to Rolf being distracted, he had not realized that he was losing his grip on the plate he was holding. Due to these circumstances, the plate slipped out of Rolf's hands and crashed to the ground.

The sound of the plate shattering was noticed by the entire group of teenagers standing near the tree.

"Yo Rolf," yelled Eddy, "What took so long we've been waiting for ya!"

Rolf remained fixated towards the end of the street, after which Eddy decided to try again.

"Hello, earth to Rolf!" yelled Eddy, "Is anyone in there?"

Rolf was finally broken out of his trance. He ignored the plate of spilled food on the ground and promptly made his way over towards Eddy with a desperate look on his face.

"Ed boy!" yelled Rolf as he approached Eddy nervously, "Who is the female with the hair as golden as Papas doubloons?"

Eddy paused for a few seconds, pondering why Rolf would request the identity of Lindsay, after which he decided to respond.

"Oh you mean Lindsay?" said Eddy as he performed a hitchhikers thumb towards the end of the cul-de-sac.

Rolf clutched his chest.

"Rolf's heart," said Rolf rather melodramatically, "It's beats with the pace of the yak pulling the cart full of the hay bales. Her boldness, her bosom as round as the fruit of the grapefruit vine, and her eyes, shaped just as beautifully as the eyes of the fish of Fluschitta!"

The entire cul-de-sac stared at Rolf in shock, all carrying an air of confusion. Marie was the first to break the silence.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Marie.

"Whoa there Rolfie boy, pump the brakes buddy." said Eddy, "You don't wanna deal with that mess, that girl is no good. She'll chew you up and spit you out!"

Rolf's face remained neutral for a brief instant, after which it turned into a relaxed smile.

"Ahh," said Rolf in a dreamy tone, "Rolf finds this information relieving, as if she enjoys the act of the chewing and the spitting, she will most certainly enjoy Nana's pre-chewed seven course dinner!"

Rolf grabbed Eddy's arm lifted it into the air, and proceeded to rub Eddy's armpit with his hand.

"Thank you Ed boy," said Rolf enthusiastically, "As a token of my appreciation, Rolf delivers the congratulatory armpit rub."

Rolf began making his way back toward his residence.

"Rolf must get started on preparing the concoction as a token of love for the beautiful female." said Rolf, after which he turned to Eddy with a confused expression, "The females name...how do you say, Lizzy?"

At the sound of Rolf mispronouncing Lindsays name as 'Lizzy', Marie and May glanced toward each other, both displaying concerned expressions. They simultaneously turned their attention toward their older sister, who's face was turning red with rage. Her jaw clenched tightly, as she began grinding her teeth.

"Lindsay Rolf," said Eddy, "Lind...SEE...go knock yourself out!"

"Thank you Ed boy," yelled Rolf, "As gratitude for your assistance, Rolf will offer some of his prized dish to you upon completion. I must be onward."

Rolf promptly ran across his lawn, opened his front door and disappeared into his house.

Within seconds of Rolf entering his domain, the anger that had been building up within Lee since Lindsay had arrived had finally reached its boiling point. Lee let out a long, drawn out scream, built upon pure frustration. Without saying goodbye to anyone, she began stomping angrily toward her house. Marie and May looked toward each other briefly, after which they nodded their heads in agreement. Each girl walked to their respective boyfriend.

"Sorry Double Dee," said Marie, "I have to go try to calm Lee down again. Looks like it's going to be another long night."

Marie giggled.

"See ya tommorow cutie?" asked Marie as she took Double Dees hands in hers.

"Most definitely." said Double Dee as he smiled. Marie leaned up and kissed Double Dee on the lips, after which she let go of his hands and began making her way down the sidewalk toward her house.

Nearby May said her goodbyes to Ed, after which the two shared a kiss, promising to see each other the next day as well. May took her leave walking side-by-side with her sister down the sidewalk, making their way back to their residence.

Eddy waited a few moments, after which he decided to comment on the situation.

"Okay," said Eddy, "So Rolf's gone love crazy over the same girl my girlfriend is loosing her mind over in a totally different way. What the hell is in the water in Peach Creek?"

Kevin laughed heavily.

"Yeah," said Kevin, "My man has no idea what he's chasin, and she has no idea what she is in for."

Kevin paused to catch his breath, before turning his attention to Nazz.

"This isn't the first time he's butchered someone's name." said Kevin as he laughed. "He hasn't quite got the hang of yours yet, right Nancy?"

Kevin laughed playfully as Nazz delivered an irritated stare. Nazz's full name was in fact Nancy, a fact that she despises. When Nazz first moved to Peach Creek Kevin, Rolf, Ed and Eddy were the only other kids in the neighborhood. When meeting Rolf for the first time, she hesitantly introduced herself as "Nancy", awaiting the obligatory laughter. Rolf, being around 5 years of age at the time, was still learning English, and had a tricky time pronouncing certain words. Reciting her name for understanding, he pronounced it "Nazzy", and could not seem to get Nancy right. At that point, generated a brilliant idea. She asked Rolf to simply call her Nazz for short and the name stuck. From that moment on, she decided that Nazz would be her preferred name, out of contempt for the name Nancy.

Up until this point, her family, Rolf, and Kevin were the only people in the cul-de-sac to know her real name, but thanks to Kevin's shenanigans, that was no longer the case. In response, Nazz blushed heavily, turned away from Kevin with an angry facial expression, and began walking back towards her house.

"Babe!" said Kevin as he giggled slightly and began following her, "I was just playin with ya. C'mon we'll make some popcorn and watch some movies."

Kevin followed Nazz into her house, continuing to beg her for forgiveness all the way, at which point their conversation was silenced by the closure of Nazz's front door, leaving the Eds as the only cul-de-sac residents remaining outdoors,

Eddy wasted no time and struck up a conversation as he stared at the Christmas tree.

"Well," said Eddy, "Lee's pissed again."

"And she has every right to be upset." said Double Dee with a stern expression, "While I do not believe in violence, or the use of profane language, Ms. Statorowski crossed the line when she began targeting the younger children. I believe Lee's reaction was completely warranted."

I'm not worried about that," said Eddy, "I'm worried about this stupid talent show. I can't imagine what Lee has in mind, but I know it's going to involve me."

Eddy pondered his thoughts for a few moments, prior to continuing.

"And I still have to figure out how to raise money to buy Lee that dress." said Eddy, after which he turned to Double Dee. "By the way, you never got around to telling us what you are gettin' Marie, did ya?"

Double Dee took a deep breath, after which he told the story of how he came to know of Marie's misfortune regarding her eye operation, and how he intended his Christmas gift to be the offset cost.

"Wow man," said Eddy, "That's deep!"

Eddy looked toward Ed.

"So Lumpy wants to get May a pitching machine, you want to help Marie pay for her eye surgery, and I want to buy Lee the ball dress of her dreams...and these gifts are way outside the scope of our usual allowance."

Eddy paused.

"We're going to need a miracle to pull this off." yelled Eddy.

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice rang through the air from behind the boys. The voice was deep, and contained inflections of the working class accent typical of the city.

"Pardon me boys, but I can't help overhearing that youse three need some cash."

The three Ed boys, somewhat startled, turned around to see a rather heavyset man. On his feet were a pair of brown work boots, on top of which laid the bottom of his blue jeans. He wore a brown workman's jacket, which was covered in what appeared to be stains from tree sap. His face was covered by a white beard, and his balding head was masked by a blue wooly hat.

The boys stood in silence for a few minutes, unsure of how to respond, after which the man began walking towards their position.

"I apologize, let me introduce myself." said the man, as he reached out to shake the boys hands, "Chris Nicklaus, Nicklaus Brothers General Contracting. Good to meet ya!"

Chris finished shaking the boys hands prior to continuing.

"I saw youse guys on the news earlier," said Chris, "I was impressed with the way you kids handled moving that tree. I run a business during the holiday season selling Christmas trees, and I can use some young talent to help me set up the displays and deliver the trees to the customers. I swung by earlier and met with each of your parents and asked them if it was okay if I met you and offered youse a job, and they all said yes."

Chris paused, after which he officially posed the question.

"So, you boys want jobs?"

The boys glanced at each other with smiles on their faces, after which Double Dee decided to take the initiative to respond for the group.

"Mr. Nicklaus," said Double Dee as he stretched his hand out to shake Chris' hand, "We fully appreciate the offer, and we would be delighted to work for you."

"Perfect!" said Chris, "The selling season starts this Saturday at noon, here's the address to my shop."

Chris removed a piece of paper from his pocket, on which an address was written in black ink.

"Thank you so much Mr. Nicklaus," said Double Dee, "You will not be disappointed in our work."

"Glad to hear," said Chris, "Well, let me get outta here. I'll see youse guys Saturday afternoon."

The boys bid Chris their farewells, after which the man made his way around the corner and on to the cross street.

"Well gentlemen," said Double Dee as he placed the piece of paper in his pocket, "It seems that fortune has really shown a light on us tonight."

"Yep!" said Eddy, "All's we have to do is hock a few trees, while keeping it all a secret from our girls, and we'll be home free!"

Eddy turned towards Ed, who was currently standing as still as a statue, his face adorned with a dopey smile.

"You got anything left to say Lumpy?" asked Eddy.

Ed remained in silence for a couple of seconds, after which he elected to yell rather loudly.

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

As soon as Ed had completed his exuberant delivery, he turned around and began running toward his residence, intent on getting much needed rest for the following school day.

At the same time, the sound of Eddy's cell phone alerting him of a text message filled the air. He removed his phone from his pocket to investigate and quickly discovered a text message from Lee that read:

"I need to talk to you now, please come over."

Eddy sighed,

"Well Sockhead," said Eddy, "Looks like I'm needed elsewhere.

"No problem Eddy," said Double Dee, "I shall be heading indoors myself, as it is very much past my usual bedtime."

The two boys shook hands, and shared good nights, after which they parted ways en-route to their respective destinations.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The night had come and gone in what seemed like a flash. It was 7:45 a.m, and the sun was currently shining brightly over the cul-de-sac.

Even though it was still quite early, the cul-de-sac was already devoid of activity. Double Dee had left for school early this morning, as it was lab day in chemistry. One of Double Dees most revered extra-curricular activities was assisting the chemistry teacher in preparing chemical samples for the students to use during the day's lab exercise. Accordingly, he had left for school earlier than usual this morning.

The three Kanker sisters had decided to leave for school earlier than usual as well. Lee had desired to utilize the school copy machines to run off papers that would eventually be used to execute her plan to win the school talent show; naturally Marie and May were recruited to assist her. May however had requested that she be dropped off in the business district, as she had her own agenda.

Ed and May had made morning plans prior to saying their goodbyes the previous night. They were currently finishing up a breakfast date at one of the well known coffee shops in the business district. The lovable oaf and his goofy girlfriend put on quite a show for the patrons, as they woofed down three plates of eggs, sausage, bacon and toast (each to themselves) in record time.

Eddy's morning was quite different than all of his peers. He had spent two hours in Lee's room last night, listening to Lee complain about her arch nemesis, as well as explain her idea for the talent show. Lee's act, of course, involved Eddy's participation, a fact that the stout Ed boy was not happy about once he found out the details. Nevertheless, the couple did part on good terms, as they spent the last fifteen minutes of the night laughing, playfully flirting, and talking of memories past.

As a result of the chain of events that occurred the previous night, as well as his lack of sleep the previous night, Eddy had immediately crashed onto his bed as he entered his room. Unfortunately, he had neglected to set his alarm, and none of his peers were present to check up on him.

While the giant Douglas fir that acted as the center piece for the Rethink Avenue Christmas Display was no longer illuminated due to it being daytime, the Suns rays reflected brightly off of the large star that served as the capstone. The sun eventually reached a position where the beam was reflected directly into Eddy's bedroom window, striking his face.

The beam of light caused the adolescent to stir. He opened his eyes, sat up in bed, yawned and stretched. The boys groggy eyes turned towards the clock sitting on his night stand, which currently read 7:50. The boy smiled slightly, after which he laid back down in his bed, intent to re-immerse himself in a world of dreams.

Not more than two seconds after he laid back down, Eddy's body jolted up to a sitting position. The now wide-eyed boy had finally realized that in the midst of the chaos of the previous night, he had forgot to set his alarm and overslept.

In a panic the stout boy jumped out of bed, and quickly ran into his "closet of dreams". He chaotically stripped himself of his bed clothes, applied deodorant, and donned his signature yellow sweater blue jeans combination. After a quick comb of his hair, the boy grabbed his back pack, put on his coat, and hastily made his way out the door and into the chilly morning air.

Eddy realized that would never be able to make it to school on time by walking, and would require an alternate mode of transportation if he wanted to avoid disciplinary action. After a few seconds of brainstorming, he suddenly recalled a similar situation earlier in the year, in which Double Dee had saved himself, Eddy and Ed from lateness by employing his triple rider bicycle (referred to as the "Ed-Mobile" by Double Dee, much to Eddy's embarrassment). It seemed that it would once again come in handy for this particular situation.

Eddy bolted across the street and into Double Dee's yard, on his way to the solitary blue shed where the Ed mobile was kept. After a few seconds of fumbling with the latch, he flung the barn doors open with a smile, only to see empty space. Well, almost empty space, for where the Ed Mobile was usually parked, sat a single piece of 8.5 X 11 paper with a note, which Eddy promptly picked up and read.

 _DD_

 _Hope ya don't mind we borrowed your bike. We needed to get to school early to get first cut at the copy machines and didn't feel like walking. You understand ;)_

 _We'll bring it back this afternoon!_

 _\- AK X 3 :)_

"Damn it Lee!" yelled Eddy to himself, after which he tossed the note back onto the floor of the shed. He briskly exited back into the cul-de-sac.

Eddy, believing he had exhausted all other options, made the preparations to attempt to run all the way to school. However, just as he was about to take his first stride, he heard the sound of a wooden door closing. He turned around to see Kevin leaving his house, on the way to his garage to retrieve his prized chrome low rider bike.

"Yo Kev!" yelled Eddy, "What are ya still doin' back at the cul-de-sac? School starts in ten minutes!"

"Hey dork," said Kevin, "I always leave at this time. Talk about perks of riding your bike to school, you get there faster so you don't have to wake up as early."

"Yeah whatever," said Eddy, "Listen can ya give me a ride, I'm going to wind up gettin' detention for a week if I don't show up on time for school today!"

Kevin paused, after which he delivered Eddy a sarcastic smile.

"You're lucky Nazz has cheer this morning," said Kevin, "That spot behind me is usually hers, but I'll let ya have it just for today. And don't get any funny ideas, if ya ask again, I'm going to start charging ya!"

Eddy punched Kevin playfully.

"Whatever Shovel Chin," said Eddy, "Thanks, I owe ya pal!"

The two boys began making their way towards Kevin's garage, as Eddy decided to continue the conversation.

"So you're still ridin' old reliable?" said Eddy, "How long have you had it?"

"It was my dads when he was a kid," said Kevin, "My baby will be thirty years old this year, and she's still ridin' strong."

"Ever think about an upgrade?" asked Eddy, "Ya know, shocks, pegs, the works?"

"You kiddin'?" said Kevin, "My baby is a classic! Banana seat, sissy bar, ape hanger handlebars, ya can't beat it!"

"Whatever ya say," said Eddy.

"I'll admit she is aging though," said Kevin, "She needs a new seat cover, a new chain, and a full chrome polish. I haven't been able to give her the love she deserves with school and all, but when winter break comes, she will be restored as good as new."

Eddy and Kevin finally reached the garage, at which point Kevin reached down and grabbed the handle.

"No matter what though, I ain't ever trading her in. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her."

Kevin lifted the garage door with a smile, anxious to see his prized bicycle. Unfortunately, Kevin's smile did not last more than an instant, as he laid eyes on the interior of the garage. The garage was populated by various fixtures including Kevin's fathers tool bench, a few packs of jawbreakers given to him by his factory, and various automotive parts. However, the space typically occupied by Kevin's silver bicycle was empty.

Kevin, in a panic, entered the garage and began pacing around. He hastily moved some of the junk that occupied the garage in a futile hope that the bike was buried underneath.

"My bike...it's gone" said Kevin rather softly.

Eddy watched as Kevin exited the garage, in a distraught state that was atypical of the usual "cool" and cynical Kevin. The red-hatted boy fell to his knees, lifted his hands to the air, and shouted at the top of his lungs, with a volume that seemed to be capable of setting off car alarms all the way in the business district.

"WHERE'S MY BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKKE!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

It was now 8:10 a.m. The first bell, signaling students to enter Peach Creek High School to begin their preparations for homeroom had rung. Accordingly, the hallway was once again flooded with hoards of students, exchanging books at their lockers and chatting about activities they had participated in the previous night.

Double Dee was currently standing at his locker, exchanging his books, and sharpening pencils in preparation for class. As he verified that the books were properly alphabetized, he glanced over towards his locker door, on which hung two pictures. Double Dee and Marie were the subject of one of the photographs. In it, Double Dee stood with his arm around Marie, wearing his typical red summer shirt; however his blue shorts were replaced with a pair of blue swimming trunks accented by yellow highlights. Marie was wearing a light blue tank top, under which she wore a green bikini top; the two straps rising out of the top of her shirt and meeting in a knot in the back of her neck. Her outfit was completed by white shorts, and blue flip flops. The picture served as a memory from their trip to the beach last summer with Ed, May, Eddy, Lee, Tabby and Rod. Both teenagers were smiling from ear to ear as they stood in front of the ocean.

The second picture was one of Marie's head shots from graduation. The black haired adolescent was smiling as she clutched a prop diploma in her hand. She wore a white gown, with golden highlights around the neck. The graduation outfit was, of course, complimented by a mortarboard cap, with the golden tassel hanging below her left ear.

Double Dee smiled as he became lost in the fond memories he had shared with Marie over the last six months. His trance was soon interrupted by a pair of hands suddenly squeezing him from behind, followed by a seductive voice.

"Hey sweetie, why don't you turn around and see the real thing."

Double Dee turned around to see his black haired girlfriend standing before him, as expected. Marie was not alone, as Ed and May stood behind her, kicking an old hacky sack that Ed had found in his room the previous night back and forth as they giggled. Further down the hall, Lee stood in front of her locker. She was holding a piece of paper up onto the vertical surface using her left hand, as she jotted down notes at what seemed like lightning speed with her right hand.

Double Dee turned his attention to Marie.

"Hello Marie," said Double Dee, "You are looking exquisite as always."

Double Dee leaned towards Marie, as he glanced towards Lee, who remained completely focused on her task at hand.

"Judging by Lee's compulsive writing," said Double Dee, "It's safe to say that she must still be quite upset by the events that occurred last night near the tree."

"Not so much upset anymore as she is determined," said Marie, "When we first got home, we found Lee up in her room, screaming at the top of her lungs into her pillow. I'm not going to lie, May and I couldn't help but laugh a little, it's so weird seeing Lee act like a drama queen."

Marie giggled slightly.

"We eventually got her to sit up, and after spending about twenty minutes complaining about Lindsay, she started brainstorming ideas for an act that can win the winter talent show. We went to bed, but I think she called Eddy over to talk to him about it." said Marie.

Marie glanced toward Marie as she continued.

"Lee is a very smart girl, there's no doubt about that," said Marie, "But she has many other talents that she represses because she is embarrassed of them, for whatever reason. It amazes me how much creativity Lee can show when she is set on achieving her goals."

"Well she certainly appears to have a lot of ideas," said Double Dee.

"You don't even know the half of it," said Marie, "And guess what Oven Mitt, we get to help her with her plan!"

"Us?" asked Double Dee, "Interesting...exactly what kind of performance does Lee have in mind?"

"Don't worry," said Marie, "You will hear the whole plan once Eddy get's here."

Marie glanced up and down the hallway.

"Where is Eddy anyway?" asked Marie.

"I have no idea, he should have been here by now," said Double Dee as he glanced at his cell phone, "My goodness, only two minutes until homeroom starts, hopefully he hasn't overslept!"

"That could be," said Marie, "Lee did have him over late last night, yapping away about 'how much of a bitch' Lindsay was for a couple of hours. She was talking so loud, Me and May heard it all the way from our room. At one point I threw my pillow at the wall. "

Marie rolled her eyes, after which she pulled Double Dee to the side of the hallway as if to ensure that she was out of Lee's hearing range.

"Between you and me," said Marie with concern, "I am starting to feel sorry for the guy. Lee is kind of dragging Eddy into all of this, and I hope she isn't stressing him out too much. Eddy is honestly one of the best things that happened to Lee in the last few months, and I really hope that this stupid winter ball queen contest doesn't put a strain on their relationship."

Double Dee paused for a few moments prior to delivering his response.

"To be honest," said Double Dee, "I can say I share your concerns. Fortunately, recent conversations with Eddy have yielded nothing but positive affirmation that his ultimate desire is to ensure Lee's happiness. While he is not without frustration, and does occasionally express dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, I do not doubt that he is infatuated with Lee and will do anything for her, no matter her intent."

"Lee can be quite a hot head when she gets angry," said Marie as she glanced toward her older sister, "But I can tell you without a doubt that she adores Eddy more than anything, and bringing him into her plans is her way of confiding in him as her boyfriend."

Marie paused.

"About this winter ball queen thing," said Marie, "It may seem atypical of Lee to be in the middle of a catty popularity contest, and to resist using physical violence to make this problem go away, but Lee has her reasons. Let's just say that there is much more to this story than childhood name-calling and bullying."

Double Dee glanced at Marie with a confused stare. Just as he was about to present a question regarding Marie's previous statement, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the school doors slamming open with force.

At that instant, Eddy emerged from behind the doors, sweating profusely and running at full speed down the school corridor. The stout adolescent finally reached the position of his peers, at which point he stopped directly in front of Double Dee and Marie. He placed his hands on his knees as he stood in a bent over position. Due to his unfortunate morning mishaps, he was forced to run all the way from the cul-de-sac to the school to avoid being late for homeroom. Accordingly, he was quite winded from the run, and was breathing heavily to catch his breath.

"Greetings Eddy!" said Double Dee with a smile, "How are you this fine morning?"

Eddy's breathing calmed down slightly, at which point he was able to utter a few simple words.

"Did I make it?" asked Eddy.

At that point, the minute hand of the analog clock mounted on the wall of the schools corridor shifted to the fifteen minute mark. As soon as the clock shifted, the sound of the bell signaling students to proceed to home room sounded.

"Well Eddy," said Double Dee, "Judging by your standing here prior to the bell ringing, even if it was just mere seconds, I would say yes!"

"Great," said Eddy, "C'mon let's go, the last thing I need is the teacher missing me on roll call."

The group of children began making their way into homeroom, at which point Double Dee decided to continue his conversation with Eddy.

"So Eddy," said Double Dee, "I can't help but notice that you have just dodged the proverbial bullet of accruing yet another lateness. In addition, you seemed as if you were in a state of panic as you entered the building. Is something troubling you?"

Double Dee and Eddy entered the classroom, and proceeded to take their seats at their desks. As Eddy sat down, he continued speaking.

"This was the worst morning that I have had in a long time," said Eddy.

"Care to discuss?" asked Double Dee, as he took a seat next to Eddy

"Maybe later," said Eddy, "I just need a minute right now."

The exhausted Eddy laid his hands on the table in front of him, after which he laid his head down on top of them. His attempt to gain a small amount of rest prior to the start of first period was soon interrupted by sound of a hand slamming a clip board on his desk surface, jarring Eddy back to an erect position. Eddy glanced upward to see his pretty red headed girlfriend. Her curls, while still hanging to her shoulders, were secured back with a green headband in an effort to keep it out of her eyes. Her blue, mascara lined eyes were completely focused on the clip board from behind her black rimmed glasses.

"Alright Little Man," said Lee, "Ready to hear something cool?"

Eddy groaned, after which he decided to reply sarcastically.

"Good morning, nice to see you too Lee." said Eddy.

Lee looked towards her lethargic boyfriend, realizing that her excitement over her ideas had gotten the best of her.

"I'm sorry sweetie," said Lee, "Good morning."

Lee leaned down and gave Eddy a long, drawn out peck on the cheek, ensuring that she enunciated an exaggerated MWAH sound. The act couldn't help but make Eddy smile.

"Alright, good morning Babe," said Eddy. He paused for a brief second before continuing, "So what's this cool thing you're in such a hurry to tell me?"

"Just my plan to win the talent show, and the first step in putting that stuck up bimbo bitch in her place." said Lee as she punched her right fist into her left palm.

At this point, Double Dee and Marie, as well as Ed and May decided to gather around Eddy's desk, intent to hear about the performance Lee had in mind.

"So," said Lee, as she pulled a tube of paper out of her backpack, "I thought long and hard about this, and I figured that there is one talent all us Kanker girls have that we rarely get to show off. So I decided on this!"

At that moment, Lee unrolled the sheet of paper, and placed it on the table for everyone to see. The document appeared to be a promotional poster; in the center was a picture of a ballerina wearing a pink tutu, white leggings, and ballet shoes. She was leaning backward, her knee bent and her arms in the air as if the picture was taken mid dance. Behind her, stood a man in costume as a British soldier wearing a red and gold military uniform. He held the ballerina in his arms, cradling her as if to assist her in keeping her balance; he appeared to be in dance pose as well. At the top of the page, large gold letters spelled out: "THE NUTCRACKER"

Double Dee smiled as he laid eyes on the poster.

"The Nutcracker?" asked Double Dee, "My it's been ages since I have seen this masterpiece performed live. Mother and Father used to travel our family to New York City to enjoy the show every year, as sort of a family tradition if you will. Unfortunately, my parents careers have taken more precedence, and we have not been able to travel to see it for the last three years. However, I never miss the chance to watch a performance on television, the holiday season wouldn't be complete without it!"

Eddy picked up the poster in both of his hands, staring at it in confusion.

"A ballet?" asked Eddy.

"Only one of the most popular ballets there is!" said May, "And it's perfect for the holiday season!"

May paused, after which she clasped her hands and continued in an extremely excited manner, finally realizing Lee's intent.

"Oh my God!" said May, "You're gonna perform The Nutcracker?"

"Not the whole thing." said Lee, "That's way too much. There's a ten minute time limit on the performance, so I'm only doing portions of the Pas de Deux."

"Potty Doo?" asked Eddy in a confused manner, "You're planning to get up on stage and tell toilet jokes?"

"It's pronounced Pa De Doh, it's French you moron," said Lee playfully, "It's a type of dance present in a lot of ballets that's performed by a ballerina and a male dancer. There are multiple parts, most notable the Adagio where they dance together, and variations in which the ballerina and danseur perform solo dances."

Lee paused as she glanced at the poster.

"And I've decided to perform the Grand Pas de Deux for the talent show." said Lee

Double Dee smiled.

"How wonderful!" said Double Dee, "What a way to represent the Christmas season while providing Peach Creek High School with a taste of culture."

"Yeah, whatever," said Lee, "I'm just doing it to take that bitch Lindsay down a notch!"

"Cut the crap Lee, you know you love ballet just as much as the rest of us." said Marie, "By the way, a complete performance of the Nutcrackers Grand Pas de Deux takes around fifteen minutes, so you're either gonna have to speed things up or delete some parts."

"Cool your jet's Marie, I got it taken care of." said Lee, "I'm only doing the entrée, portions of the adagio, and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. I'm leaving the tarantella out."

Lee pages through her clipboard, eventually coming to a page of sheet music for the piece. Lee had scribbled small notes on the sheet, added choreography via ballet dance notation below the score, and had deleted portions she deemed unnecessary with large x's.

"Here's the choreography I wrote," said Lee, as she handed the sheet to Marie, "Me and Mom worked on it together."

Marie took the piece of paper in her hand, after which she and May began intently studying, the glyphs written under the music.

"Lee this is amazing!" said Marie.

"Yeah," said May, "You really added your own touch to the standard choreography."

As May and Marie analyzed the music, Ed's peered over May's shoulder to observe the music for himself.

"Those look just like the glyphs the Zorfans used to communicate with the body snatchers in Slug-U-La number five!" said Ed enthusiastically.

May giggled.

"They do don't they Ed," said May, "But these aren't hieroglyphics, each of these represents a different dance maneuver or position."

May pointed to a few of the symbols inscribed onto the paper, and attempted to explain to Ed how they represented piourettes, fouettés and penche. Of course Ed, due to his lack of classical ballet knowledge and un interest in the subject matter, did not grasp Mays words, but smiled as he listen to his girlfriend speak.

As the girls continued to speak ballet, Double Dee was beaming from ear to ear. He decided to chime in.

"Wow," said Double Dee, "I must say, I am highly impressed with all of the knowledge you girls have presented regarding the technical aspects of ballet. I had always understood that your mother really enjoys ballet, but I never knew that you girls possessed as much talent as you do."

"To be honest Double Dee," said Marie, "May and I aren't really talented dancers, we just know the music and really enjoy watching ballet."

Marie performed a hitchhikers thumb toward Lee.

"Now if you want to see a dancer," said Marie, "Look no further than this knuckle head over here. She's amazing and she has never had formal lessons other than what my mom taught her. And what's even more amazing is that my mom taught herself all these techniques too!"

Lee blushed slightly at Marie's comment. Just as she was shy about being praised on her grades, she was also shy about being praised about her other talents. She decided to reply rather aggressively.

"Whatever," said Lee, "It's not my fault she forced it down our throats. She's way too obsessed with it if ya ask me! Jesus, all of us were literally named with ballet in mind!"

"Named with ballet in mind?" asked a confused Double Dee.

Lee calmed down slightly prior to providing her explanation.

"Yeah," said Lee, "The reason all of our names begin with Anna is because my mom loves ballet and her favorite ballerina is Anna Pavlova. She's considered one of the best ballet dancers in history. As for the Lee part, I was named after my Grandmom. Her full name was Evalee, but everyone called her Lee. So there ya go, Anna-Lee."

"Wow," said Eddy, "I learned something today."

Ed giggled slightly.

"I have a little cousin named Leeanne," said Ed, "It's like Annalee backwards, and we call her AnnAnn for short."

Eddy laughed.

"There ya go babe," said Eddy in a joking manner, "Maybe I'll start calling ya LeeLee as a pet name."

As Eddy continued to laugh, Marie and May instantly froze in place, their faces displaying extreme concern as they glanced at each other. They then turned their attention to Lee, who stood still completely unamused at Eddy's comment. As Eddy continued to laugh, she proceeded to walk towards him, and leaned down onto the desk.

"My name is Lee, or Annalee," said Lee rather sternly, "Please don't ever call me LeeLee ever again. Got it?"

Eddy was quite surprised at Lee's sudden change in attitude, as it was if he had struck a deep emotional nerve in Lee.

"Okay Lee," said Eddy in a relatively serious manner, "Sorry I'll never do it again."

Lee stared at her boyfriend for a brief second, after which her stern facial expression turned into a smile once again. She leaned down towards Eddy's face until her eyes were directly in front of his.

"Thanks cutie!" said Lee in a rather plucky manner, after which she pecked him on the lips, and turned her attention back to her choreography. The concern on Marie and Mays face disappeared, their faces returning to a neutral expression, as Double Dee and Eddy's face turned to expressions of confusion.

Within seconds, the proverbial elephant in the room had seemed to disappear, as Lee continued the conversation.

"Okay," said Lee, "In order to make this work, I'm going to need some music. Marie, that's where I need you. Do ya think you can rig up a piano arrangement to go along with this choreography?"

Marie smiled.

"Absolutely!" said Marie, "I'd love to!"

Marie turned to Double Dee.

"Double Dee has a lot of musical experience too!" said Marie, "He can help me!"

Double Dee raised his hands as if to protest Marie's decision for him to help.

"Well now," said Double Dee, "I don't know if a pedal steel guitar is appropriate for a ballet arrangement."

"You're right, it wouldn't work very well," said Marie, "But with your musical knowledge, you can at least help me arrange a few things."

Marie batted her eyes as Double Dee cracked a smile.

"Very well Marie," said Double Dee, "I will assist in your arrangement of the music."

Double Dee and Marie shared a smile, after which Lee decided to continue with explaining her plan.

"I'm also going to need a background set to go with the dance." said Lee, "May, could you and your man take care of the decorations?"

"Could I?" said May enthusiastically, "Oh boy I can't wait!"

May turned to Ed.

"You'll help me, right Big Ed?" said May.

"Anything for my Little May!" said Ed excitedly, as he grabbed May in a tight squeeze. Although May felt like she could barely breath due to Ed's tight, yet loving squeeze, she still was able to generate a smile due to Ed's loving adoration and support.

After receiving concurrence on her plan from her youngest sister, Lee turned back towards her boyfriend, who was currently staring at the advertisement for the Nutcracker. She approached Eddy, and posed a question.

"Like what ya see?" said Lee.

"Are ya kiddin me," said Eddy, as he pointed to the danseur in the photograph "I can't believe this guy is actually wearing tights and doing ballet! What man would want to be seen wearing this sissy stuff."

Lee giggled.

"Eddy," said Lee, "Do you know what Pas de Deux means in English?"

"Nope" said Eddy, "I don't speak no languages."

"It means 'a step for two'," said Lee, "The main part of the dance is shared between a man and a woman. I plan on doing a large part of the Adagio, and I am in need of a partner."

At this point, Eddy's face dropped. Across the room, Ed stood attempting as hard as he could to hold back a giggle. Double Dee stood with a neutral expression, somewhat concerned with Eddy's response to the statement that he knew to be inevitable.

Lee pointed to the male dancer in the picture.

"Sweetie, this is going to be you next Wednesday night!" said Lee with a smile.

Ed could barely contain himself, as his giggles were escaping around his sealed lips. Double Dee and Marie also shared slight playful giggles, attempting to be as discrete as possible.

"No way," said Eddy, "No damn way am I getting on stage in tights."

"Come on Eddy!" said Lee, "You've got such a cute little ass, and it will only look better in tights! I think all the other girls deserve to see what I have that they don't!"

Lee laughed heavily at her own joke for a few seconds, after which she regained her serious composure. She leaned her face towards Eddy, until their noses were almost touching. While Lee was smiling, Eddy sat with his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face.

"Please Eddy," said Lee, "For me. It will be fun I promise. If you're afraid of being made fun of don't sweat it, as soon as it happens whoever it is will answer to my fist."

Lee held her fist up in the air as a demonstration.

"Nobody is getting in the way of this." said Lee as she flicked her hair back.

At that moment, Lee leaned extremely close to Eddy's ear, and whispered into it in a very seductive voice.

"As a bonus," said Lee, "When we practice, you'll get to see me in my leotard and tights...I'll give you a hint, it's very VERY form fitting."

Lee giggled as she returned to her position directly in front of Eddy's nose. While Eddy was in fact quite enamored at the thought of Lee's amazing figure in tights, that was not the predominant reason he was about to agree with Lee's course of action. As much as he would never admit it, his emotional attachment to Lee could not allow him to say no.

"Alright," said Eddy in a sarcastic tone, "Let's dance!"

"Yay!" yelled Lee, "Thank you, I knew you'd say yes!"

Lee immediately pressed her lips to her boyfriends as a show of love and gratitude, as their peers watched on with a smile. The kiss was brought to a close at the sound of the teacher entering the room, at which point all of the students took their seats for roll call.


	12. Chapter 12

_Authors Note:_

 _I would like to thank all of you once again for your support. I really enjoy writing this story, and I really really enjoy how it's turning out._

 _Please read and review!_

 **Chapter 12**

In a flash, the morning had passed, and it was once again time for the freshmen at Peach Creek High School to funnel into the cafeteria for lunch. At present, Ed, Edd and Eddy had already made their way into the cafeteria, and were currently standing in the lunch line. Each boy had taken a lunch tray, sliding them down the counter as the line moved.

The Kanker girls had headed to the music room for lunch. Marie and Lee had decided to work together to finalize the choreography and musical arrangement for the ballet piece, with May tagging along for moral support. Thus the Ed boys would be without their Kanker counterparts for the period.

As the boys awaited their turn in line, they passed the large wall mounted poster displaying the lunch menu. Double Dee decided to comment.

"It's been ages since I have elected to purchase school lunch in lieu of packing," said Double Dee, "In fact I don't believe I've ever purchased lunch in the time I've been in high school, nor have I taken the time analyze the menu."

"There ain't nothin' to 'analyze'," said Eddy with a sarcastic tone, "It's either pizza or chicken nuggets. Take one, put it on your plate, sit down and eat."

Double Dee glanced at his short best friend with an expression of dissatisfaction at Eddy's less than enthusiastic retort. He decided to reply.

"Well Eddy," said Double Dee, "I can't help but notice that you have added an unprecedented level of sarcasm to your response to my inquirery. Are you really that upset about agreeing to participate in Lee's performance of the Nutcracker?"

The lunch lady placed a piece of pizza on each of the Ed boys plates, after which they began walking towards their table.

"This was the worst day ever!" yelled Eddy, "I forgot to set my alarm, because I had to sit and listen to all of Lee's problems for half the night. I had to run to school so I wouldn't get a weeks detention. I forgot about the math test we had this morning so I failed it, and to top it all off, now Lee has me set up to prance around on stage like some kind of sissy boy! This day couldn't get any worse!"

At that point, Eddy accidentally tripped over one of his shoelaces that had inadvertently became loose. Due to the forward momentum his body had carried as he walked, the trip sent him careening face-first toward the ground, causing him to spill his beverage, as well as his pizza slice onto the ground.

Double Dee and Ed watched with concerned expressions as Eddy rose to his knees, and ground his teeth. His face gradually turned to a bright shade of red, as he picked up his lunch tray, let out a loud scream, and began slamming the tray repeatedly on the ground, attracting the attention of the entire lunchroom.

"Eddy, please!" said Double Dee as he ran over to his friend, "Calm down!"

Double Dee took the lunch tray off of Eddy, as Ed retrained him from behind. Eddy continued to writhe around in Ed's arms uncontrollably, as he made several indistinct noises out of frustration.

"Eddy," said Double Dee, attempting to calm his friend, "Eddy!...EDDY!"

After his last words, Double Dee took Eddy's lunch tray and in one swift motion, struck Eddy across his face. Eddy immediately calmed down, and responded in a quiet, collected voice.

"Thank you, I needed that." said Eddy.

"You're very welcome Eddy," said Double Dee, "While I abhor violence, I reasoned that this unique situation warranted physical intervention. Besides, it certainly worked on me when you slammed by bed over my head during the incident in which I misplaced my magnifying glass two summers ago. It was time for me to return the favor!"

Double Dee giggled, after which Eddy took a seat at the lunch table, placing his chin in his hands. Double Dee retrieved a plastic knife from the lunch counter, cut his slice of pizza in half, and placed one of the halves on Eddy's plate.

"Thanks pal," said Eddy, "I owe ya one."

"You're very welcome Eddy," said Double Dee, "I'm always willing to help whenever a friend has a problem."

The boys began enjoying their lunch in silence. A few seconds had passed, after which Eddy dropped his pizza slice onto his plate, and suddenly began speaking.

"It's just so frustrating!" said Eddy, "She's a totally different person now that this stuck-up high class broad is in the picture. Everything Lee does, every move she makes, it's all about Lindsay! Geez, it's like she was in love with her and she broke her heart it's crazy!"

Eddy stood up and began pacing back and forth in front of the lunch table. Double Dee's eyes tracked his every movement as he sat with his hands folded. Ed too observed Eddy's motions, as he chewed the entire slice of pizza he had just shoved into his mouth.

"She doesn't have any time for me anymore!" said Eddy, "She was supposed to help me with my math test, but she was too focused on this stupid contest!"

"Eddy, I am afraid I must object to your statement." said Double Dee, "I believe that Lee's desire to have you participate in her agenda, not to mention provide you with perhaps the most important and endearing part in her ballet performance, certainly constitutes her spending time with you."

"Sure, she's spending time with me" said Eddy, "But as long as Lindsay's been around the only thing she's just been doing is using me to get what she wants."

"I will admit that Lee's recent behavior seems to be driven by the presence of Lindsay," said Double Dee, "But nevertheless, your emotional feelings for her have not changed, have they?"

"Hell no, I still like her," said Eddy, "But I'll be damned if I'm going to be used as a pawn all the way until Christmas!"

Ed giggled as he swallowed his pizza, after which he added a statement to the conversation in his typical dopey sounding voice.

"Eddy can only move one space." said Ed referring to the pawns of a chess board, after which he giggled.

"Yes Ed, that's right," said Double Dee, "Allow me to expand the simile. Eddy, you may feel as though you can only move one proverbial space forward on the board of life right now. But just as the pawn is promoted to a higher ranking piece upon reaching the end of the chess board, I guarantee that if you maintain a positive mindset, you will become a much better person if you support Lee until the end."

Double Dee put his hand on Eddy's shoulder.

"I for one think it is wonderful that you are going to learn the fabulous, ages old technique of ballet under Lee's tutelage. Who knows, you may discover a new hobby to enjoy, and better yet you will be able to share it with Lee."

"Double Dee, I promised Lee I would dance with her." said Eddy, "I won't go back on it. But I'm not gonna like it, I'm never doing it again, and somehow, someway I'm digging myself out from this mess between her and Lindsay. Tonight I'm putting my foot do..."

Eddy was not able to complete his sentence, as he was suddenly knocked down to the floor from behind. After regaining his composure, Eddy turned to see Rolf standing at the lunch table, his face carrying an expression of panic. In a rush to locate Double Dee, he had not taken notice of Eddy's position and had inadvertently knocked him down.

"Double Dee Ed Boy!" yelled Rolf, "Rolf is pleased to see you, as he would like to request your assistance."

Rolf removed a small envelope from his pocket. He proceeded to open it, and removed a piece of folded up stationary paper.

"Rolf has still failed to master the art of the letter writing in your native tongue of English, and would be in eternal gratitude if you could help, Head Full of Brains Ed Boy." said Rolf.

Double Dee smiled as he took Rolf's letter in his hands, he proceeded to unfold it as he continued speaking.

"Why certainly Rolf," said Eddy, "Let's have a look at your letter."

Double Dee opened the letter and proceeded to read it to himself.

 _My deerest Lidzy,_

 _My heart beets with the rythm of the drums of yujish e_ _very time I see your preety face._

 _Your eyes, are as round and full as the pearls of the clam and y_ _our hair as gold as as the Dablouns of Yorq._ _Please do Rolf the honors of giving a kiss u_ _nder a yaks membraine, as we celebrate the feast of the great Yeshmiyek. We shall tie the knots of the ropes of affection, and declare ourselves one in front of the pig of adoration._

 _Love,_

 _Rolf_

Double Dee placed the letter down on the lunch table with a somber expression on his face, at which point Eddy snatched the letter in his hands and began reading.

"Whoa Rolfie boy!" said Eddy, "Listen, we need to talk man. I don't know what you could possibly see in her, but I gotta tell ya for your own good this ain't a good idea at all."

Rolf appeared confused at Eddy's statement.

"Which part is not good?" said Rolf, "Is the traditional kiss under the yaks membrane frowned upon in the traditions of this country?"

Double Dee sighed.

"No Rolf, it's not that," said Double Dee, "While I would under any ordinary circumstance be happy to assist you in completing this letter, I am afraid that, as your good friend I cannot allow you to continue, for I strongly believe that it will result in disappointment to you. You see Rolf, you are a great man, but I do not believe that Lindsay, being the girl she is, would be willing to engage..."

Double Dee could not finish delivering his soliloquy, intended to gently let his friend know the futilities of pursuing Lindsay, as Rolf had interrupted him.

"Hush Ed Boy!" said Rolf, as he placed his hand over Double Dee's mouth. He simultaneously glanced toward the cafeteria doors as he pointed his finger, "The beautiful female has arrived!"

At that point, all of the Ed's and Rolf glanced towards the cafeteria doors. Lindsay Statorowski had in fact arrived in the cafeteria, and was making her way toward her typical lunch table, situated on the far side of the room. She was carrying a tan handbag, and, as usual, was flanked by a few of her friends. She walked with an air of confidence, swaying her hips, as her face displayed her characteristic scowl.

"Ah," said Rolf in a relaxed manner, "As pretty as the dolls of Gustac displayed by Nana in her bedroom."

Rolf began walking away from the Ed's position.

"Hold your thought Smart-As-A-Whip Ed Boy, for Rolf's heart can no longer fathom waiting to speak to the beautiful angel," said Rolf, "Rolf shall return!"

Before the Ed boys could interject, Rolf had already left speaking range. The tall lanky boy quickly darted across the cafeteria, appearing as if he was lighter than air. Within seconds, he was standing directly next to Lindsay, who was standing near her lunch table conversing amongst her group of friends.

Within seconds, one of Lindsay's friends took notice of Rolf, and decided to alert Lindsay by signaling her to turn around with her index finger. Lindsay promptly turned around, and met eyes with Rolf. While Rolf was smiling dreamily, Lindsay appeared slightly annoyed and uncomfortable.

The Eds watched as the first conversation between Lindsay and Rolf began to unfold.

"Can I help you?" asked Lindsay in a sarcastic tone.

Rolf smiled as he grabbed Lindsay's hand in his.

"That voice," said Rolf, "As smooth and angelic as the call of the spirit of the harvest..."

Rolf lifted Lindsay's hand, and proceeded to lean his face down toward it. He quickly touched his lips to the top of her hand, at which point she pulled it away with force.

"Eww," said Lindsay as she winced in disgust, flinging her hand in an attempt to remove whatever nastiness may have been transferred to it.

Lindsay used a napkin to wipe off the top of her hand, after which she continued the conversation in a nasty tone.

"And you are?..." asked Lindsay

"I am called Rolf," said Rolf as he grabbed Lindsay's hand using both off his, slightly surprising her, "Rolf is friends with the boy known as Kevin, Go-Go Nazz girl, as well as the three Ed boys and the Kanker girls they are smitten with."

Lindsay pulled her hands away from Rolf's, and continued speaking maintaining her arrogant composure.

"Now it all makes sense," said Lindsay, "Yet another degenerate arises from the world of filth that surrounds those Kanker sores."

Lindsay flicked her hair, after which she opened up her fold-up make-up mirror. She began adjusting her eye shadow as she continued speaking.

"Look guy," said Lindsay, "Get to the point and get out of here, I've got my lunch to enjoy and I don't have time to deal with anyone right now, especially someone who wants to admit their friends with Annalee Kanker."

At that moment, Rolf once again grabbed Lindsay's hand, causing her makeup mirror to fall onto the floor. Lindsay was quite surprised as Rolf began spinning her in circles around the middle of the cafeteria. As these events unfolded, the three Ed boys continued to watch from their lunch table; Ed watching with a dopey smile and Double Dee watching with concern. Eddy however was having field day, laughing uncontrollably at Rolf's outlandish display, as well as Lindsay's peril.

As Rolf continued spinning Lindsay he began to speak.

"Rolf's heart burns with passion for you my beautiful Schmetlockin, just as the rays of the sun scorch his back whilst he tills the fields in Papa's garden during the summer!"

At this point, Lindsay's typical calm and collected facial expression had disappeared, and was replaced by one of distress. Rolf ceased spinning Lindsay, and placed her in a position as if he was performing a "dip" during a ballroom dance.

"As a token of my affection, Rolf provides the traditional Herring of courtship." said Rolf as he reached into his backpack. He removed a rather large slimy fish, the mouth of which was impaled with a large fishing hook. The hook appeared to be tied to a necklace made of beads.

"Rolf will now place this ornament around your beautiful neck, to display his intent of courtship." said Rolf.

Lindsay quickly batted the fish away from her face, regained her footing, and pushed Rolf away from her.

"Gross!" yelled Lindsay, "I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last guy left on Earth!"

Rolf paused for a few seconds, appearing as if was confused. After only a few seconds, he regained his smile.

"Ho ho!" said Rolf, "I see you are familiar with the customs of Rolf's old country. When the female refuses the offer of the Herring of Courtship, it means that she is in gratitude and is willing attend the traditional, post-courting family feast!"

Rolf quickly embraced Lindsay, touching his face to hers much to Lindsay's disgust.

"Oh Lizzy," said Rolf, "You make Rolf the happiest son-of-a-shephard in the world."

At the sound of Rolf's words, a hypothetical circuit seemed to trip within Lindsay's psyche. Her face began to turn bright red, and her fists tightened up. Within moments, she had broken out of Rolf's embrace, and pinned him against the cafeteria wall.

The Ed's, as well as the rest of the cafeteria, watched in shock as the events unfolded. As Lindsay stared intently into Rolf's eyes, with what seemed to be burning anger, Rolf remained placid, somewhat excited about Lindsay's rage.

"Now listen here you wierdo!" said Lindsay as she held her index finger up to Rolf's face, her long pink fingernail almost touching his nose, "My name is Lindsay, don't you ever call me Lizzy again, or I will make your life through all four years of high school an absolute living hell! And one more thing, keep your weird traditions to yourself and stay the hell away from me you freak!"

At that point, Lindsay lifted her right hand in the air, and proceeded to deliver a slap to Rolf's left cheek. The sound of the slap seemed to resonate throughout the entire cafeteria, and was delivered with enough power to knock Rolf to the floor.

After delivering the slap, Lindsay walked over to her lunch table, picked up her handbag, and proceeded to storm out of the cafeteria. Her two friends, with concerned looks on their faces, rose up out of their seated positions and quickly followed suit.

Ed, Edd and Eddy quickly ran over towards their downed foreign friend.

"Damn," said Eddy as he laughed, "Way to turn on the charm Rolfie boy!"

"My goodness Rolf," said Double Dee as he helped Rolf back to a standing position, "Are you alright?"

Rolf appeared as if he was dazed momentarily, after which a smile returned to his face.

"The slap of divinity!" yelled Rolf as he clasped his hands in excitement, "The perfect sign of affection in Rolf's old country!"

The Ed's stood confused as Rolf proceeded to skip around the cafeteria in circles, humming jolly folk songs in his native tongue. Double Dee decided to comment on the situation.

"It never ceases to amaze me how much different Rolf's culture is than our own," said Double Dee, "I cannot imagine an expression of violence being symbolic of affection in our culture."

At that point, a grin appeared on Eddy's face.

"I know," said Eddy, "It's perfect."

Double Dee glanced towards his stubby best friend.

"What do you mean Eddy?" asked Double Dee.

"Watching Rolfie Boy's little Romeo impression gave me a brilliant idea," said Eddy, after which he leaned towards Double Dee to ensure that Rolf would not hear his words.

"We can use Rolf to get rid of Lindsay once and for all." said Eddy after which he giggled.

"Use Rolf?" asked Double Dee with an air of confusion.

"Look," said Eddy as he placed his arm around Double Dees shoulder, "You just witnessed how much Rolf drove Lindsay crazy. And you being the smart guy you are, can see that Lindsay is the reason why Lee is dragging me into all of these crazy plans."

Eddy pulled away from Double Dee, and proceeded to rub his hands together in front of his body.

"If all goes according to plan, I'll have Lindsay so deeply afraid of Rolf that she won't show herself around us ever again. Then Lee will stop worrying about the winter ball. She'll regain her senses and realize she doesn't want to go and I can get my twenty dollars back." said Eddy.

Double Dee stared at Eddy with surprise, unable to utter a single word. Eddy playfully hit Double Dee with his elbow, after which continued speaking.

"Between you and me," said Eddy, "I'm still going to take Chris up on his job offer, and if this plan works, I'll be able to pocket the money I would have spent on that dress."

"Eddy!" yelled Double Dee, "I cannot believe the words I am hearing. Are you so cruel as to not only use your good friend as a pawn in your ridiculous schemes, but to also deny Lee her opportunity to wear the dress of her dreams at the winter ball? Rolf is obviously infatuated with Lindsay, and she obviously does not return his feelings. The longer we allow Rolf to think he has a chance with Lindsay, the harder it is going to be for him when he finally finds out it wasn't meant to be."

"Listen Sockhead," said Eddy, "I've tried it with the 'having feelings' and 'looking on the bright side' way, and I'm still getting screwed. It's about time I started doing things the Eddy way."

"Eddy, I beg you to reconsider going down this insane path." said Double Dee, "I really believe you are making a grave mistake, and I simply cannot see this ending in anything other than disaster. However, if you wish to continue with this course of action, I will not stop you, nor will I have any further comments in regard to it. I merely request that I be completely left out of anything to do with it. "

"Relax Double Dee" said Eddy, "Have I ever been wrong before?"

Eddy playfully punched Double Dee as he began walking towards Rolf.

"Yo Rolfie Boy," said Eddy, "Man that Lindsay is crazy about ya!"

Rolf smiled as Eddy placed his arm around his shoulder, and began walking him back to their lunch table.

"Let's go work on that letter," said Eddy, "When I'm done with ya, Lindsay will be begging to have that feast of...whatever with ya!"

Double Dee sighed as he watched Eddy begin making corrections to Rolf's letter, after which he and Ed returned to the table to finish enjoying their lunch.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note** : Hello everyone KiltedEngineer here._

 _Just wanted to wish everyone reading that participates in the holiday a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a great feast and time with your family and friends. It's a great turkey dinner, with stuffing and cranberry sauce at my parents house later today for me, and I can't wait._

 _On another note, I am also officially announcing that "Origin's" will be out on a hiatus, and will probably be taken down within the next couple of days. I plan to finish the story, however I feel as though the quality isn't as well as I would like it to be. This was due in part to me just "winging" the story rather than outlining it from start to finish as I did my other two. I will rewrite and finish at some point in the future, provided that the fans still would like to see it._

 _Also, thank you everyone for the favorites and reviews. Please continue to read and review to let me know what you think. I spent a large chunk of my time writing this story, and would like to know if it is enjoyable to the readers._

 _Without further ado, here's chapter 13._

 **Chapter 13**

The bell signaling the end of the school day at Peach Creek High School had sounded around ten minutes ago. Accordingly, all of the students we're currently making their way back to their neighborhoods, intent on using their free time to the maximum extent possible.

Tabby and Rod had picked the Kanker girls up from school via car. They had made plans to go to "The Green Clover", a large department store located within Peach Creek Mall, to do some Christmas shopping, and to pick up the perfect costume for Lee's ballet performance.

Due to these events, the Ed's were able to use the "Ed Mobile", previously borrowed by the girls that morning, to make their way back to the cul-de-sac. The boys we're currently riding down the Main Street of the business district: Eddy sat up front, controlling the handlebars, with Double Dee in the middle position, and Ed in the rear.

As the boys pedaled back to the cul-de-sac, Eddy decided to initiate a conversation.

"Well amigos!" said Eddy with a smile, "Our lovely ladies have some plans this afternoon, so it looks like we're on our own until we meet them for ballet practice tonight. What do ya guys want to do."

"Wow Eddy, I'm surprised," said Double Dee, "All day you have been avoiding using the term 'ballet practice', electing to use general, indistinct terms such as 'that thing' or 'the show' due to your unwarranted embarrassment about participating in one of the most beautiful art forms in existence. May I ask what drove the sudden change in attitude?"

"Well Sockhead, it just so happens I am feelin' fine!" said Eddy with a sly grin, "Ms. Dopkin released the grades for the math test this morning, and it looks like I'm going to pass the semester."

"That's wonderful Eddy!" said Double Dee, "Perhaps now you have witnessed that, while Lee is busy pursuing her own interests, and was not able to assist you as much as anticipated, you were still able to achieve academic greatness via self discipline. I am proud to see that you took it upon yourself to study."

"You kiddin?" said Eddy, " I didn't study, I ain't got time for that crap. I just winged it, let the good old Eddy magic do it's work, and wound up with a perfect D minus!"

"Eddy's a good magician!" said Ed, "I should know cause Eddy gave me all the answers, and I got a D minus too!"

"I'm surrounded," said Double Dee softly with a sarcastic glare.

A few minutes passed after which Double Dee decided to continue.

"Regardless of the circumstances, I am glad to see that you're now in a positive mood," said Double Dee, "That being said, now that your emotions have neutralized, have you considered cancelling this new 'plan' of yours concerning the use of Rolf as a Lindsay Statorowski deterrent?"

"What are ya, crazy?" said Eddy, "Hell no I haven't thought about stopping it, I need that broad out of our lives. In fact, me and Ed spent art class making some fake gifts that we can give to Lindsay to freak her out, and some to give to Rolf to make it seem like Lindsay wants to jump his bones!"

Eddy reached back and patted his back pack.

"I got em' all in here for safe keeping!" said Eddy as he winked, followed by heavy laughter.

Double Dee sighed.

"I suppose it was worth a try," said Double Dee.

A few moments passed, at which point the bike had finally made it to the entrance of the cul-de-sac. As the boys, turned the corner, they spotted Jonny's, Kevin's and Nazz's father standing outside of Kevin's garage. Kevin himself sat on the garage apron; his knees were curled up to his chest, and his face was buried in the palms of his hands.

"Oh my," said Double Dee, "Whatever could have happened here?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot," said Eddy, "I asked Kevin to give me a ride in on his bike this morning, but when he went to get it from the garage it was gone. The guy freaked out and said he wasn't going anywhere until he found his bike."

"My goodness, that bike means the world to Kevin. He must be devastated." said Double Dee.

"We have another serial toucher guys!" yelled Ed.

"I surely hope there is no evidence of foul play or burglary in the cul-de-sac!"." said Double Dee, "For everyone sake, the best possible outcome is that it was simply misplaced."

"Come on let's go see what's up." said Eddy, after which he steered the bike towards Kevin's house.

The boys stopped the bicycle in front of Kevin's house, dismounted, and walked towards the red headed adolescent.

"Yo Kevy boy!" said Eddy as he playfully punched Kevin in the shoulder, after which he sat down on the curb next to him, "Any luck with the bike?"

Kevin lifted his head up, staring across the street as he somberly spoke.

"I got Nazz's dad to come look at the garage door," said Kevin, "He said that there's no sign of forced entry."

"Thank goodness," said Double Dee, "Being a law enforcement officer, Nazz's father is a reliable and trustworthy source for such a determination."

"Well I don't buy it," said Kevin, "That bike doesn't move anywhere, unless I move it. Somethin' fishy is goin' on here."

At that point, the adults decided to disband, each shaking each other's hand, with Nazz's father happily declaring to Kevin's father that he would help in any way he could to locate the whereabouts of the bike. He delivered a wink to Kevin's father, after which Kevin's father playfully punched him and bid him farewell, thanking him for his efforts.

Kevin watched as the adults made their way back to their respective homes, after which he decided to continue the conversation.

"Somebody stole my bike," said Kevin with an angry glare, "And when I find out who did, they're gonna be sorry they even looked at it."

"A new mystery has befallen the cul-de-sac," said Ed imitating the narration of an old school, low budget radio show, "There is only one man who can solve this case...that man is Sherlock Ed!"

Ed began humming stereotypical mystery/spy show music as he pretended to scan the ground with an imaginary magnifying glass.

"Sherlock Ed, yeah right!" said Eddy, "Let's face it boys, there's only one person around here that can bring peace and justice back to the cul-de-sac, and that's..."

Eddy was about to finish his sentence, as he began touch his thumb to his chest. However, he was soon cut off by a familiar voice.

"Me!" yelled the voice from above.

The boys turned to the solitary tree that occupied the front lawn of Kevin's house. Upon it's many branches stood a mysterious figure. The figure was wearing a light green shirt with a yellow swirl, white pants, and black sandals. On the individuals head was half of a watermelon, with eye holes cut out to resemble a mask. Cradled in his right hand was a piece of 2x4 plywood, with eyes drawn onto it with crayons. A piece of white material was strapped around the wooden plank, with eye holes cut out to resemble a mask.

The figure dropped down onto the ground from the tree branch, struck a pose, and yelled loudly for all to hear:

"Have no fear, Captain Melonhead is here!"

The individuals display was met with blank stares from all of the rest of the boys. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Eddy was the first to speak.

"Oh, hey Jonny," said Eddy, "Still playing superhero?"

Jonny placed his elbow over his mouth, as if imitating a mysterious superhero pose.

"I know nothing of Jonny," said Jonny, "I'm Captain Melonhead, and this is my loyal sidekick, Splinter the Wonderwood."

The boys continued to ignore Jonny's antics.

"So you're back to being Captain Melonhead?" said Kevin, "Whatever happened to the whole Gourd thing you tried to pull at the end of last summer?"

"The Gourd has retired," said Jonny, "Captain Melonhead realized that no matter what, his job is to protect the innocent, the weak, and the down trotted, and fighting for good is the only way to go."

"Whatever Jonny," said Kevin, "So, what makes you think you can find my bike?"

"I have eye's and ears everywhere," said Jonny, "From the Business District to Haventhough Way, no stone will remain unturned. The beam of justice sweeps every lawn and every alley, and will not stop unt...

"Alright, alright," said Kevin, "Give it a rest, I get it."

Kevin paused.

"Alright Captain Melonhead, I trust ya!" said Kevin "Please find my bike and I'll be forever in your debt."

"No problem faithful citizen" said Jonny, "Your bike will be back in no time. Captain Melonhead, Away!"

Johnny held his hands out in front of him as he quickly ran down the street towards the end of the cul-de-sac. As he turned the corner, Eddy approached Kevin.

"You really trust that Melonhead can find your bike?" asked Eddy.

"Hell no!" said Kevin, "I just needed to get rid of the annoying dweeb, I'm going to find it myself!"

Kevin and Eddy shared a laugh.

"Well Kev, I wish I could help," said Eddy, "But I gotta go get some yard chores done at my house while I can, before I have to go help Lee with her new project."

"Oh," said Kevin as he snickered, "What's the old ball and chain got you roped in this time?"

"Ah the usual," said Eddy, "Ya know, just usual chick stuff that we get dragged into."

"Eddy and Lee are going to dance a ballet together at the talent show on Wednesday night!" said Ed enthusiastically.

Eddy placed smacked his palm to his face, after which he punched Ed in the arm. Double Dee watched with concern as Kevin began laughing hysterically.

"Oh man!" said Kevin, barely able to get his words out, "This was the worst day of my life, but now this almost makes it worthwhile."

Eddy groaned as his face turned red out of embarrassment.

"Kevin," said Double Dee, "I'm surprised at you. Eddy was willing to support you in your time of need when you discovered that your bike was missing. You should at least be proud and supportive of Eddy for reaching outside of his comfort zone and attempting learn a wonderful new art form."

"I'm sorry," said Kevin as he clutched his ribs, "I just keep picturing Dorkie up on stage...prancing around on stage in a tutu...what color is it going to be, will it match your eyes?"

Kevin delivered his last line with an intentional feminine overtone, as he clasped his hands and batted his eyes towards Eddy in an attempt to make fun of him. As Kevin continued to laugh heavily, Eddy decided to retort.

"For your information, Shovel Chin," yelled Eddy, "Men wear tights when they dance ballet!"

Kevin stared blank faced at Eddy's statement, after which he laughed even heavier than before.

"Stop!" said Kevin, "You're killing me! You're not only going on stage with no dancing skills, but you are also going up there in tights."

Kevin laughed once again, after which he turned around and began walking towards the front door of his house.

"This is too priceless to miss." said Kevin, "I'm getting tickets to the show, and I'll be recording the whole thing on video. Wait till Rolf and the guys from the football team get a load of this one!"

Kevin giggled as he opened the front door of his house and stepped inside, leaving his three friends outside by their lonesome.

Double Dee glanced towards his stubby best friend, who was currently quite upset with Kevin's playful teasing. Ed was himself attempting to hold back giggled as well. Eddy turned towards his two friends with an irritated expression.

"Not a word from either of you." said Eddy, after which he turned around and made his way towards his residence. He soon disappeared into his side alley, on his way to the pocket door that led to his bedroom.

"Well, Ed, it appears that it's just you and me until the girls get home." said Double Dee, "Did you have anything in mind that you would like to do to pass the time?"

"Afternoon Christmas special extravaganza!" yelled Ed, "C'mon we can watch it at my house!"

Ed grabbed Double Dees hand and began literally dragging him down the street towards his forest green residence. Despite the appearance of Ed unwillingly pulling Double Dee down the street, the intelligent adolescent couldn't be happier with Ed's suggestion.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

At the same time that the Eds were making their way back to the cul-de-sac, the Kanker-Lonergan family was on their way to Peach Creek Mall in Tabby's 2003 Honda Civic.

Interestingly neither Rod nor Tabby were behind the wheel of the car. Due to Lee being a couple of months shy of her 16th birthday, she was able to obtain a junior driver's permit in accordance with state law. Up until this point, Lee had been practicing her driving skills in empty parking lots and underneath highway overpasses. It was decided that a quick trip department store was a great opportunity for Lee to practice driving on the road.

Tabby was situated in the passenger seat next to Lee, with May being directly behind Lee, Marie directly behind Tabby, and Rod in the center seat. May was quite relaxed, reading one of her comic books, as was Marie who was currently sketching some of the Christmas scenery in her sketchbook.

Lee was leaning her left elbow on the window sill of the driver's side door, with her right hand placed at the twelve o'clock position on the steering wheel. Being the girl she was, and a new driver, she wasn't taking driving quite as seriously as she should. Tabby was quite distracted as well, as even though she was supposed to be the responsible adult chaperoning Lee's driving, the excitement of her daughters first ballet show was just too much for her. Whilst Lee drove the car through heavy traffic, Tabby was currently scribbling notes on the choreography score, in an attempt to assist Lee in perfecting it. The two women were in deep conversation regarding what kind of costumes Lee was going to pick out for her and Eddy to wear during the show, and final configuration of the dance steps.

In contrast to the rest of the occupants of the vehicle, Rod was in a borderline state of shock. His hands gripped the backs of the two front seats at he observed the car pass within inches of other vehicles as Lee changed lanes. Lee was a surprisingly good driver for it bring her first time, mostly due to luck and her tendency to ignore dangers and take risks. Accordingly, Rod's face displayed an expression of panic and he felt as though his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

As the car continued down the road, Tabby and Lee were in the midst of a conversation.

"So Annalee," said Tabby, "Do you think the first measure of the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy should have the pirouettes, or should we wait a bit to add flare. I think we should end in fifth position, and transition en pointe for the next part."

"That's fine," said Lee, "I want show off a lot of en pointe work during those chromatic runs like the one at the end of measure eight. It looks beautiful, and the whole lighter than air look is always great when you can do it fast and smooth."

At that point the traffic signal directly in front of the car changed from the green to amber. With the speed the car was currently traveling, as well as the distance from the intersection, there was no way that the vehicle was going to to make it through the light before it turned red. Rod took notice of this fact and decided to speak up, attempting to interrupt the women's conversation.

"Annalee," said Rod, "Stoplight...STOPLIGHT!"

Lee hit the brakes, causing the car to stop right in front of the cross walk as the light turned red. Tabby was unaffected as she continued to study the ballet.

"Calm down Daddy!" said Lee with sarcasm as she glanced in the rear view mirror at Rod, "I'm not blind."

A few seconds passed, at which point the light turned green, and the car was once again on it's way. Tabby decided to continue the conversation.

"As for the costumes," said Tabby, "Eddy's costume is a no-brainer, we just need to get a nutcracker suit and some black tights. Now what did you plan on wearing?"

"Can't go wrong with the classic costume for the fairy," said Lee, "I got the outfit in the closet at home, and the shoes to match."

After few more close lane changes, Rod decided to interject himself with some road guidance, interrupting the women's conversation.

"Now Tabby," said Rod, "Perhaps we can wait on discussing the ballet while we are driving, I don't think it is a good time to talk about it. Annalee should probably be a little more focused on the road."

Tabby suddenly whipped herself around to face Rod, and delivered a response with a cackling voice very similar to Marie's.

"There is never a bad time to talk about ballet!" yelled Tabby, after which she quickly turned back around to face forward.

After a few seconds, Tabby rethought her brash statement, rolled her eyes and closed the folder containing the ballet sheet music.

"Alright," said Tabby, "We'll wait to talk about it until later. And lay up a little on the lane changes, so your father doesn't have a heart attack before he can see you perform."

Lee shook her head to oblige, after which she focused herself completely on the road ahead.

Within minutes, the family had arrived at Peach Creek Mall. The complex was a large, long and narrow multi-level building, which housed hundreds of retail stores. The parking lot was quite full, as people from the surrounding suburbs and even many from the city flooded in, eager to take advantage of holiday deals. As such, it took longer than expected for the family to find a parking spot, and when they finally did, it was relatively far away from the nearest entrance to the mall. Once the car was parked, the family exited the vehicle and made their way toward the mall entrance, but not before Rod took the car keys off of Lee and proclaimed himself as the driver for the trek home.

After a short walk through the mall, which was quite busy with pedestrian traffic, the family had finally made it to the entrance of The Green Clover. The department store was large, multi-leveled, and carried a large assortment of items from home appliances to toys. Of course, a large Christmas tree had been erected in the lobby, and cheerful holiday music was playing over the stores PA system.

Upon reaching the store, Tabby and Rod decided to split off from the girls, allowing them to shop amongst themselves. The girls quickly located the clothing department on the store map, and made their way to the escalator well.

As the girls boarded the escalator, Marie decided to strike up a conversation.

"So Lee," asked Marie, "Have you ever decided what you are going to get Eddy for Christmas?"

Lee maintained a neutral expression as she responded.

"I'm working on it" said Lee, "I'll let ya know when I finish it, but I can't tell ya what it is cause it's going to be a surprise."

"Oooooh, mysterious," said Marie, in a teasing manner after which she laughed.

"Yeah, whatever," said Lee, "Anyway, I got bigger things to take care of right now, like beating Little Miss Shitorowski's ego to a pulp."

"What the hell Lee," said Marie, "You're gonna let her get in the way of you finishing Eddy's Christmas gift."

"Can the lecture Marie," said Lee, "You of all people should know that nobody on Gods earth get's in Annalee Kankers way. It's called setting priorities, and I'm good at doin' it."

Marie and May stared at Lee with doubtful expressions. Lee took notice and responded accordingly.

"Have I been wrong before?" said Lee, "Geez if you two knuckle heads hadn't learned to trust me by now, youse would have never made it past the age of five! I got this under control, no more moral lectures."

"Whatever ya say Lee," said Marie and May simultaneously.

There was a few seconds of silence, after which Lee decided to pose a question of her own to Marie.

"So how about you, what are ya getting your man for Christmas?"

"Yeah Marie," said May, "You never finished telling me what your big plan is for Double Dee, let's hear it!"

Marie smiled as she held the escalator handrail. She glanced over the side, watching the first floor of the department store disappear for a few seconds, after which she began speaking.

"Well it's a long shot," said Marie, "But I'm going to try. See, the other day in gym, Double Dee's hat accidentally got torn. That hat is really important to him because it belonged to his brother, and he was devastated when it ripped. While he doesn't want anything to happen to the hat, he has also become accustomed to wearing it to hide his injuries from the accident."

Marie paused, at which point the girls de-boarded the escalator and began walking towards the clothing department.

"I started thinking about ways I could help him protect his hat, and additionally regain confidence. I was searching the Internet a few days ago, and found a website that makes custom wigs for burn victims and cancer patients. They do a great job, and will make them to look just like the persons original hair. If I send them a picture of Double Dee prior to his injuries, they said they could make a perfect replica."

Marie paused.

"I'm going to get Double Dee one for Christmas."

"Marie..." said May as her eyes began to a water, "That's so sweet!"

Marie smiled at her little sisters comment as Lee turned towards her. She looked down at Marie with a genuine smile, her little sisters being two of the few people who were able to cause her to do so.

"Very thoughtful Baby Sister," said Lee in a gentle motherly voice, "I'm glad to see all of the crap we dealt with growing up didn't shrink that big heart."

"Hey, you're the one who raised me!" said Marie, "So give credit to yourself!"

"Don't push me Marie," said Lee as she playfully punched Marie, "You're lucky ya got one mushy comment out of me, I don't need none from you."

The two girls smiled at each other for a few seconds, after which the group continued walking down the green tiled floor of the department store.

"The only problem is the money," said Marie, "I don't have anywhere near enough to pay for my eye surgery, and Double Dee's present is just about the same amount. I don't know how I'm gonna get it, but dammit I'm gonna try."

Lee snickered.

"Isn't this interesting?" said Lee, "May needs money to get Ed that comic book set, you need money to get Double Dee his new hair."

At the exact moment Lee had finished her sentence, the girls reached the entrance to the clothing department. As the main display came into view, Lee suddenly stopped as if she had frozen in place. She placed her arms out across her sisters chests, stopping them in their tracks. Her eyes widened as she uttered a few simple words.

"And I need money for that!" said Lee as she pointed towards the display.

The girls glanced up towards a tall case made of glass. Several spotlights were trained towards the glass, their cream colored beams reflecting off of the exterior, as well as the content within. Inside the case was a long, strapless, silky emerald green evening gown. The dress was accented by silver sparkles on the bottom portion, which glistened underneath the stores lights.

Lee walked towards the display.

"Just imagine me walking into the ball wearing this," said Lee, "This will get me voted ball queen for sure, and it will piss Lindsay off double that I was able to afford it."

Marie walked up to the display case to observe the price tag. Naturally, a dress of such caliber did cost a pretty penny.

"Damn," said Marie, "This is expensive."

The girls grouped together around the display as Lee continued speaking.

"Maybe I'm an idiot for even thinking I could ever afford this," said Lee, "If I only had a way to get some cash."

At that point the soft, yet gentle voice of an elderly women rang out from behind the girls.

"Pardon me young ladies," said the voice, "But if it's money you need, I could sure use some help in the store."

The three girls quickly turned around. Standing behind them was an elderly woman, of about 70 years old. Her grey hair was tied into a bun, and the glasses adorning her face gleamed underneath the store lights. She wore a multicolored sweater, depicting Santa and his reindeer. Below the sweater was a red pleated dress under which she wore a pair of white stockings and black shoes and her feet.

Marie was the first to respond to the woman's statement,

"Help in the store?" asked Marie.

"Certainly!" said the woman as she walked towards the girls, "My name is Edith Jessup. I'm the manager and head seamstress for the clothing department. I've been making dresses for fifty years and I don't plan on stopping any time soon."

Edith made an okay sign with her hand.

"Keep's me moving and keeps me young!" said Edith as she winked, "So who may you girls be, and what brings you to the Green Clover this fine afternoon."

"My name is Annalee," said Lee, "These are my two sisters Annemarie and Annamae, you can call us Lee, Marie and May for short if you like. We are here shopping for Christmas presents with our parents, and I was looking for a dress for a winter ball that I am going to later this month. This one is perfect, but I don't have nearly enough money to pay for it."

Edith glanced at the dress, after which she decided to respond.

"It is an excellent choice," said Edith, "This beautiful emerald green would look outstanding with those pretty red curls hanging beside it. Funny thing is I designed this dress with a young, beautiful red headed woman in mind, and as fate would have it, I have my perfect customer!"

Edith paused, after which she looked Lee in the eye.

"Annalee," said Edith, "Do you have any experience with dress making?"

Lee appeared confused.

"No," said Lee, "I used to sew curtains for my next door neighbor though."

"I'll tell you what," said Edith, "If you're willing to learn, you can come work for me in the seamstress shop. I'll teach you everything I know, and you can help me with the holiday workload. As a side project, we can make a replica of this dress tailored just for you. I'll wave the fee for the dress, and consider the labor and the help your payment."

There was a pause for a few seconds, after which Edith officially posed the question.

"Would you like to give it a try?" asked Edith.

A few seconds passed, after which Lee's face transformed into a smile.

"Ms. Jessup," said Lee, "I'd be happy to work with you."

"Wonderful!" said Edith, after which she turned toward Marie and May.

"As for you two little sweet things," said Edith, "I could use some help on the sales floor and behind the counter selling chocolates and wrapping gifts. If you girls would like, I could put you to work for some extra cash as well."

Marie and May glanced at each other with smiles.

"Sure we'd love to!" said both of the girls simultaneously.

"Great!" said Edith, "I can work you girls from 3:00 to 6:00 every weeknight. You can start tomorrow afternoon, please meet me by the counter and I'll show you girls around."

Edith bid the girls farewell, with the girls also thanking her for the job opportunity, and made her way back to the employees only section of the store. Once Edith was out of sight, Lee flicked her hair over her shoulders and turned toward her sisters.

"How awesome is this," said Lee, "I knew we'd find a way to earn some cash, and we'll be home just in time to practice for the talent show with the boys every night!"

"You knew?," asked Marie, "Says the one who says she was 'an idiot' to think they'd ever afford that dress."

"Shut up Marie," said Lee, "The end result is what matters!"

"Speaking of our Eds" said May, "I think we should keep our jobs a secret so we can surprise them with our gifts! I can't wait to see my Big Ed so excited about his new comic collection!"

May hugged herself out of excitement, as Lee began making her way back toward the escalators.

"Take it easy Spaz," said Lee, "I know it's not everyday you get a bright idea, but I'll admit it's a damn good one."

Lee turned back towards her sisters.

"C'mon," said Lee, "Let's go find Mom and Dad so we can get back to meet our boys for practice."

Marie and May obliged as they both ran to catch up with their sister.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The time was 6:00 p.m, and night had once again cast it's shadow over Rethink Avenue. The night was unusually cold, even for this particular time of the year, and as such the cul-de-sac was devoid of almost all life.

Double Dee and Ed had spent the last few hours watching a few classic television Christmas specials in Ed's basement. The lovable oaf enjoyed the holiday specials immensely, and had carefully planned his watch schedule. Unfortunately, Eddy was not able to join the boys due to promising his father that he would assist with his yard work.

The Ed's had agreed to meet in front of Eddy's house five minutes ago, and travel to the Kankers house together for ballet practice. Double Dee and Ed were currently waiting patiently on Eddy's front doorstep, awaiting their friend to join them.

"I surely hope Eddy is in a better mood this evening," said Double Dee, "Eddy's emotions have been highly variable over the last few days, due to lack of sleep as well as these new circumstances involving Lee's demand for his involvement. If these issues don't stabilize soon, we could find ourselves facing the same problem we did two summers ago. I certainly don't want a repeat of Eddy falling into another delirious state as he did when that terrible epidemic befell the cul-de-sac and Eddy ran out of kids to scam."

"Eddy was funny when he was crazy," said Ed as he giggled, "Can we get him to try to eat a mailbox instead of a fire hydrant this time?"

"I most certainly hope that this does not lead to Eddy attempting to eat a mailbox." said Double Dee, "While, I truly believe that Eddy has changed for the better, one of his largest flaws of character is making questionable decisions. I believe that attempting to drive Lindsay away via childish tricks, not to mention using Rolf as a vehicle for the pranks, is a disastrous idea."

Double Dee paused.

"I am quite the keen observer, and Marie has, on several occasions prevented others from becoming involved in Lee's quarrels with Lindsay, despite their attempts to assist in defense. This can only mean that it is Lee's wish to handle these issues herself, for whatever reason, and Eddy's interference would be detrimental that that goal. In addition, Eddy's plans are often poorly executed, and could become a source of tension between he and Lee."

Double Dee glanced towards Ed.

"Do you have any suggestions as to how to handle this situation, Ed?" asked Double Dee

"Lee good, Lindsay Bad!" said Ed in a loud booming voice, "That's the slogan me and May agreed to use for Lee's ball queen campaign."

"I wish I could live in as carefree of a world as you do Ed," said Double Dee, "I am glad to see you are looking on the bright side in your own way."

At that moment, the front door to Eddy's house opened, and the young man emerged. As usual, he was wearing his yellow zip up sweater, accented with a horizontal purple stripe. On his hands were a pair of red gloves, as an unenthusiastic frown adorned his face.

Double Dee and Ed stood up and turned around to face their friend.

"Greetings Eddy," said Double Dee, "Are you ready for another fun-filled evening with our lady friends?"

Eddy closed his door and descended the front stairs, after which he walked past his friends without saying a word. Double Dee watched his friend walk a few paces, then began jogging to catch up to him, his elbows flared out as he always did when running.

"Come now Eddy," said Double Dee, "How can you not be excited? You are about to embark on a wonderful journey. A journey in which you will learn to appreciate a beautiful, ages old art form consisting of impressive physical movements that have the ability to bring whimsical stories to life. I sure wish I had the opportunity to learn the complex maneuvers required to execute virtuoso ballet technique."

"What's there to know?" said Eddy, "You just gotta jump and spin. Any idiot can do that!"

"I wouldn't be so overconfident Eddy," said Double Dee, "The male dancer, or in ballet parlance, the danseur, is often required to not only support the weight of the female dancer while she is executing ground maneuvers, but also must be able to lift the female dancer multiple times during a single performance. I do not mean to play devils advocate, but Lee is roughly ten pounds heavier than you, and does have around six inches on you. This may create some difficulties for you, but I am sure with perseverance you will overcome it."

"Eddy's like the tea pot short and stout," said Ed as he grabbed Eddy's arm and raised it above his head, "Here is the handle and here is the spout!"

Eddy batted Ed's hand away, as Ed giggled slightly. Double Dee attempted to hold back a giggle himself.

"Shut up both of ya," said Eddy, "I've seen ballet before, and if these wimpy sissy tight wearing guys can do it, this stud's got this in the bag."

The boys reached the Kankers doorstep, at which point Eddy rung the illuminated doorbell button.

"Eddy McGee isn't doing any _heavy_ lifting tonight!" said Eddy with a cocky smile.

As Soon as Eddy completed his last sentence, the Kankers door flung open, causing the jingle bells mounted on the wreath hanging on the exterior to sound. Behind the door stood Marie Kanker, dressed in her blue sweater/white pants combination. She was smiling lovingly while holding a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

"Hey boys," said Marie, "Come on in, you're just in time!"

Marie stepped out of the way, allowing the Ed boys to enter the home. Ed entered first, giggling as he ran through the living room towards the kitchen, his body leaned back and flailing as typical. Eddy entered at a much slower pace, and took a seat on the couch in front of the Kankers television. As Double Dee entered, Marie placed her arm across the threshold of the door to block his way.

"Uh uh sweetie," said Marie with her characteristic amorous cackle, "You gotta pay the toll!"

Marie smiled as she pointed her index finger towards the ceiling. Double Dee glanced up to see a piece of mistletoe hanging over the doorway.

"Marie it's your lucky day," said Double Dee, "I am never one to squander debts!"

Double Dee pressed his lips to Marie's and held their kiss for a few seconds. Eddy took notice from the couch.

"Jeez get a room you two!" said Eddy, after which he laughed. Double Dee pulled away from Marie, placed his hands behind his back with a smile as his face turned red. Marie remained focused on Double Dee with a smile of her own, giggling at her boyfriends shyness.

At that moment, May leaned around the kitchen doorway. Her two pigtails were secured by red bows, and hung towards the floor perpendicular to her neck.

"Hey guys!" yelled May, "Come on out, I made some hot chocolate! Me, Ed and Marie can't finish it all ourselves ya know!"

"Come on cutie, come have some." said Marie as she began walking towards the kitchen.

"How delightful!" said Double Dee.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" said Eddy as he rose from the couch and began making his way towards the kitchen. "Maybe this whole thing ain't that bad after all."

"Oh before I forget," said Marie as she leaned her head around the kitchen door, "The piano is up here in the living room, and we kind of need it moved downstairs to my moms ballet room in order to practice. Can you guys move it down there after we finish our hot chocolate? Thanks!"

Marie darted back behind the kitchen door as quickly as she appeared, leaving a perplexed look on Double Dees face and and annoyed expression on Eddy's.

"Well Eddy, I suppose you will be doing some heavy lifting tonight." said Double Dee.

Eddy said nothing, but merely groaned, after which he began walking towards the kitchen.

Upstairs, Lee was currently in her bedroom. The room was relatively plain; the walls were a bright shade of red, and a golden ceiling fan was suspended from the white ceiling. There was a single walk-in closet situated next to her twin bed, which was complete with a wooden headboard. On the opposite wall was a wooden desk where Lee concentrated on her academic studies in secret. Next to the desk was Lee's vanity, complete with a mirror and several drawers inside which she stored her beauty supplies. One of the drawers happened to be open, the only one which required a key to unlock.

While Lee had entered the room to get changed into her leotard for practice, she was currently sitting on the edge of her bed, still dressed in her pink shirt/blue jeans/black boots combination. In her hands was a piece of white paper, which had appeared to be torn in half, her eyes glancing upon it from behind her black glasses. Lee's face appeared genuinely disheartened as she gazed upon the contents.

Lee's thoughts were soon interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Lee!" yelled the voice of May, after which she knocked again, "Lee! Get your bubble butt out her, our men are here for practice and we got hot chocolate!"

Lee quickly jumped up from her bed, placed the piece of paper inside the vanity drawer and closed it. She proceeded to lock the drawer, and hide the key underneath her mattress.

"Hold your horses May!" yelled Lee, "Geez, can't a girl get more than thirty seconds to get ready, and as for the bubble butt comment ya gotta have it to show it!"

"Well excuse me!" said May playfully from outside the door, "Get down here, Eddy's waitin' for ya!"

Lee listened to the sound of May's footsteps running down the hallway, after which she proceeded to remove her shirt to change into her leotard for ballet practice.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

It had been a few minutes since the Eds, Marie, and May had finished their hot chocolate. May and Marie had made their way downstairs to prepare the "ballet room" for practice. The Ed's remained upstairs as the Kankers had requested their assistance in relocating the studio console upright piano, currently serving as a centerpiece in the living room, to the basement.

Double Dee was currently on one side of the piano, attempting to pull it towards the stairs, as Ed attempted assist by pushing the other side. Eddy stood next to the boys, sipping a soda as he watched them attempt to move the instrument with a cocky grin.

Despite the boys best efforts, the piano would not budge. Double Dee removed his hands from the wooden structure, flinging them around as if they were in pain.

"My goodness," said Double Dee, "I knew that pianos carry substantially more mass than the typical piece of household furniture, but I believe that the presence of wheels would alleviate the issue. They seem to be making no difference in this particular case."

Eddy placed his soda down on the coffee table.

"There ain't no problem here," said Eddy, "Ya just need a little elbow grease. Step aside, let a pro show ya how it's done."

Eddy walked over towards the piano, gently pushed Double Dee out of the way, and grabbed the side of the instrument.

"Alright Ed, let's move this puppy." said Eddy.

Despite Eddy's confidence in his own strength, his efforts to move the piano were no better than Double Dees.

"Bravo Eddy," said Double Dee sarcastically, "Your 'professional assistance' does not seem to be achieving any kind of positive result."

"Ed just ain't pushing hard enough!" said Eddy, struggling to get the words out of his mouth due to straining his muscles, "Come on Ed, use that crazy strength ya got!"

The two boys continued to struggle for a few seconds, at which point Ed glanced toward the floor. As he continued pushing with all of his might, he noticed that the lock on one of the pianos caster wheels was engaged.

"Eddy, I think I know why this isn't working." said Ed.

"Well Ed," said Eddy as he continued to pull, "Flatter us with your brilliant idea!"

"Okie Dokie!" said Ed.

Ed proceeded to kick the lever, disengaging the lock and allowing the piano to move freely. Unfortunately, Eddy, unaware of Ed's plan, continued pulling on the piano with everything he had. The result was the piano suddenly careening across the room, at what seemed like the speed of sound. To make matters worse, due to his position at the time of the release of the lock, Eddy had found himself pinned to the side of the piano, traveling with it as it hurled towards the stairs.

Double Dee and Ed watched as the piano careened towards edge of the stairs, Eddy hanging on to the side for dear life. The piano proceeded to "bounce" down the stairs, step-by-step, sounding an extremely dissonant musical tone with each hop.

Thankfully, due to the Kankers owning a split level house, there were only five or so stairs leading to the lower level. The piano finally reached the basement and collided with another object, emitting a loud dissonant sound as if all the keys were pressed at once while the dampers were released. This was followed by Eddy emitting a rather loud scream.

Double Dee and Ed wasted no time and proceeded to run down the stairs to check on their friend. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, the boys discovered the piano had traveled across the entire floor span of the Kankers den, had hit the opposing wall and bounced back toward the center of the room, finally coming to rest directly in front of the door leading to Ms. Kankers ballet room.

Eddy himself was laying on the floor with an expression of shock on his face. Double Dee ran over towards his friend

"My goodness Eddy, are you alright?" said Double Dee.

Eddy regained his composure and rose to his feet, dusting off his jeans

"Of course I'm alright," said Eddy sarcastically, "I just got ran over by a 300lb piano, no problem!"

"Thankfully, the same non-sensical laws of physics that applied to the show, for the sake of cheap slap-stick humor, apply to this fan fiction as well." said Double Dee, "Otherwise you could have been seriously injured."

Double Dee decided to deliver a joke.

"It may have just been your proverbial "final movement", even though it was only your first piano composition" said Double Dee.

Double Dee and Ed shared a laugh at Eddy's expense, at which point the door leading into the "ballet room" opened. Marie and May exited the room with smiles on their faces, and took notice that the piano had been successfully moved to the lower level of the home; they remained ignorant to the chaotic events that occurred during the course of it's transport.

"Thanks for moving the piano boys!" said Marie, "We got the room ready, if you guys can just wheel it in and put it next to the far wall we'll be all set."

The boys obliged, at which point Double Dee and Ed began rolling the piano into the room. Double Dee, nor either of his best friends, have ever been inside this particular room; quite frankly they did not even know that it existed, and had no idea what to expect.

As the interior of the new room came into view, Double Dees eyes widened. The space was quite large, around 12' wide by 25' long. The walls were a bright shade of white, and the hardwood floor boards were a warm red/brown color. The far wall contained a window near the ceiling, not unlike the one in Ed's room, looking out into the backyard of the house.

By far, the most distinguishing feature of the room was the long wall opposite the entrance to the room, the entirety of which had been converted into a highly reflective mirror. A single wooden railing ran the length of the wall at about waist height, serving as an anchor point for aspiring dancers to hone their balancing skills.

"My word," said Double Dee as he wheeled the piano to it's resting place, "I had no idea that your residence had a fully functional ballet studio."

"It comes with having a mother who is completely obsessed with ballet!" said Marie, "My dads been working on it for my mom since we moved in so that she could start dancing again. He finished it about a week ago, just in time time for us to use it!"

"I must say your father has excellent skills in craftsmanship" said Double Dee.

Marie proceeded to take a seat on the bench in front of the piano keyboard, adjusting it's position for optimal reach. Double Dee followed his girlfriends lead, taking a seat next to her. May remained in a standing position, resting her forearms on the piano lid in a crossed position. Her eyes were trained on her oafish significant other, who had removed his large green coat. He was giggling as he performed various body building poses in the mirror along with Eddy.

May sighed dreamily with a smile, after which she decided to pose a question.

"Do you think Lee will actually be able to teach Eddy how to dance in time for the talent show?" asked May.

"It is a lot to learn in a short period of time," said Marie, "But you know what they say...miracles happen most everyday! But don't expect a miracle unless you help make it to be."

At that point, Marie touched her fingertips to the piano keys and began playing a bossa nova pattern with her left hand, while overlaying a chord progression with her right. At the same time, she began singing in a smooth sounding voice, completely different than her rather shrill speaking voice:

 _You hope, and I'll hurry_

 _You pray, and I'll plan_

 _We'll do, what's necessary cause_

 _Even a miracle needs a hand!_

Marie ceased playing, after which she, Double Dee and May shared a laugh. The musical display attracted the attention of Ed and Eddy from across the room, leading both boys to approach the piano. Eddy remained unamused due to the joke being at his expense, while Ed giggled heavily.

"Haha," laughed Ed, "Do another one about Eddy!"

Marie giggled.

"Okay," said Marie, "Teaching Eddy how dance should be as easy as taking his first steps."

Marie once again touched her fingertips to the piano keys, and began playing a Broadway musical style shuffle pattern as she sung:

 _Put one foot in front of the other_

 _And soon you'll be walking across the floo-oo-or_

 _Put one foot in front of the other_

 _And soon you'll be walking out the door!_

Marie ceased playing once again, at which point she, Double Dee, May and Ed shared another laugh.

"I'm about to really walk out that door and say screw this whole thing." said Eddy in an irritated tone.

"Come on Eddy," said Double Dee, "Where's your holiday spirit? Is it really that difficult for you to accept a friendly yuletide joke?"

"Yeah Eddy lighten up!" yelled Marie, "It's just some holiday fun. Besides, if you want to be a grouch, I have the perfect song for you."

Marie placed her hands on the piano and played a dramatic, ominous sounding tune in the bass register, which happened to be an introduction to a famous Christmas tune. She followed it by a slow, jazzy chord progression, and deepened her voice to sing in a lower register.

 _You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch_

 _You really are a heel!_

 _You're as cuddly as a cactus_

 _You're as charming as an eel_

 _Mr. GRIIIIINCH!_

The group shared heavy laughter as soon as Marie had played the last note, much to Eddy's chagrin. Eddy folded his arms, and leaned against the wall with a scowl on his face.

"Sorry Eddy," said Marie as she giggled, "It's just too easy and too funny to get you riled up!"

The group laughed once again, at which point Eddy finally decided to embrace the joke, smiling ever so slightly.

"So," said Marie, "What else should I play while we are waiting for Lee?"

"Ooh Marie," said May, "Play that one from the new CD we got, you know the one with the lady in the black dress on the cover."

"Oh yeah, that's a fun one!" said Marie, "Okay, I'll give it a try."

Marie placed her hands on the piano keys, and began playing a rhythm reminiscent of soft jazz music. She began singing in a sultry, seductive voice.

 _The Reindeer Fly_

 _I wave goodbye_

 _With a kiss_

 _You bring me home_

 _Stories of Rome_

 _Paris and Madrid_

 _And softly he tiptoes_

 _When he returns home_

 _And Whispers "Mrs. K"_

Marie glanced towards Double Dee with an amorous smile and winked prior to delivering the last line.

 _It's Christmas time and Double Dee's mine hooray!_

Marie, performed a final jazzy scale, and ended the piece with a smooth sounding chord as she and Double Dee shared a smile. A few seconds passed after which the sound of Lee's voice filled the air.

"Yo that's _MY_ song and _MY_ voice," yelled Lee playfully, "And who said you could screw around with the lyrics!"

The group turned toward the door to see Lee's tall frame standing in the threshold. Lee had tied her red curls up into a ponytail, with two loose strands hanging in front of her ears. She had removed her glasses, and had traded her pink shirt and blue jeans for a black skin-tight leotard that accentuated her beautiful figure. On her legs were a pair of grey tights, and her feet were covered with a pair of black pointe shoes. She stood with her left hand hanging towards the floor, with her right hand on her hip as she relaxed it to the right.

Lee wasted no time and walked towards Eddy's position.

"Alright Little Man," said Lee, "Ready to get started."

Eddy did not respond to Lee's question, as he was currently engrossed in checking out Lee's body from head to toe. He was sweating bullets as he always did when in the presence of an attractive female, and his face was turning red. Lee took notice and giggled.

"See," said Lee as she leaned down into Eddy's face, "I told ya seeing me in this would change your mind about ballet."

Lee stood erect once more.

"Alright, let's get ya ready," said Lee, "I left you some mens dance leggings and a shirt out in the den. Go get changed and we'll start with the basics."

Eddy continued staring at Lee's "assets", still not saying a word.

"Jesus", said Lee, "You can touch em' all you want later tonight, but for now get your little sweet ass cheeks out there and don't come back in until I can see them in those tights!"

Marie and May giggled openly at Lee's joke, while Ed attempted to stifle a laugh if his own. Double Dee stood with a neutral expression, somewhat blushing due to his discomfort around speech of a sexual nature.

At the sound of the word "tights" Eddy snapped out of his trance.

"Tights?" yelled Eddy, "Now? I thought that was only the night of the show?"

"You can't practice in jeans you knuckle head!" said Lee, "Be a good boy and go get changed, okay sweetie!?"

Lee smiled and winked as she completed the sentence, after which Eddy unenthusiastically turned around and proceeded to walk toward the door to get changed.

A few minutes had passed, at which time the door leading into the ballet room cracked open. Eddy pushed the door with a gentle flick of the wrist, causing it to open slowly with an audible creak. Behind the door, the stout adolescent stood with his hands by his sides, and an expression of annoyance on his face. He was wearing a white, skin tight tank top, a pair of black tights and a pair of black slip on shoes.

May and Marie watched with smiles as Eddy made his way across the room toward Lee. Double Dee maintained a smile on his face, out of joy that Eddy had somewhat embraced this teaching experience, while Ed giggled dopily.

Lee smiled amorously as Eddy approached, his face red with embarrassment. He came within two feet of Lee at which point he looked up into her eyes. She chuckled slightly and proceeded to speak.

"Much better," said Lee, "You look cute in that outfit."

Eddy looked down towards the floor, at which point Lee placed her right index finger under Eddy's chin. Her nail, currently painted black, dug slightly into the bottom of his jaw as she forced his face upwards. She leaned down until she was at eye level with Eddy, and moved close to his face.

"By the way," said Lee, "Thank you for doing this for me. You're the best"

Lee leaned in and pecked Eddy on the lips, causing him to smile briefly in a wistful daze. He quickly shrugged it off and regained his displeased expression, as he was still not completely satisfied with being in tights.

Lee placed her hands on her hips, and donned a serious expression.

"Alright," said Lee, "Time for a crash course in classical ballet! Let's dance!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

A few minutes had passed since Lee had proclaimed the official start of Eddy's week long ballet career. Ed and May had decided to return to the kitchen to gorge themselves on a few helpings of chunky puff serial, and then planned to head to Ed's house to begin work on a background set for the performance. Of course, the two movie/comic book junkies would not pass up the opportunity to catch a glimpse at the multitude of holiday specials that happened to be airing that night as they worked.

Double Dee and Marie were currently sitting side by side on the piano bench. Marie rested her head on Double Dees shoulder, and their hands were intertwined as they watched Lee begin instructing Eddy on the art of ballet. Lee and Eddy themselves stood next to each other, facing the mirror in usual standing position.

"Okay Eddy," said Lee, "The first thing you need to learn to master ballet are the four basic standard foot positions. Once you learn those, we can work on more advanced stuff and start practicing with the music."

Lee held her arms out to her sides.

"Here is first position," said Lee.

In what seemed like an instant, Lee snapped her toes outward such that her feet were parallel to her shoulders. Her thighs were pressed together as she held her hands above her head; a perfect formation. She held the position for a few seconds, after which she relaxed and turned toward Eddy.

"Your turn," said Lee, "Let's see it."

Eddy sighed, at which point he raised his hands above his head. He attempted to snap his feet out as Lee did, but due to his body not being used to standing in such an alien position, the boy lost his balance and tumbled to the floor.

"How the hell are you supposed to stand with your feet like that?" said Eddy, "I felt like my hips were going to explode."

"Calm down Little Man," said Lee, "Take it slow and steady. The only reason I can do it fast is cause I've been doing it for years and I'm used to it. Watch me again, I'll do it slow this time. Gradually point your toes further and further as you learn to keep your balance."

Lee demonstrated the position to Eddy once again, after which Eddy attempted to emulate her. While his form was initially no where near as robust as Lee's, after a few minutes of practice, he had become somewhat decent at achieving it repeatedly.

"There ya go!" said Lee as she pushed one of her loose curls behind her ear, "See it ain't so hard is it?"

Eddy looked up into his girlfriends sparkling blue eyes, a sight which caused him to crack a slight smile himself. Lee leaned down and kissed Eddy on the cheek, after which she returned to a serious demeanor.

"Alright, on to the next one," said Lee, "Second position."

Lee assumed her first position pose once again, after which she slid her feet out so that her legs were separated forming a "v" shape.

"Not bad right?" asked Lee, "Your turn sweetie."

Due to second position being quite similar to the first, Eddy was able to grasp the technique with little difficulty.

"Beautiful," said Lee, "Now let's up the ante a bit. Third position isn't really used anymore so let's got straight to fourth position"

Lee lifted her hands above her head, and proceeded to cross her right foot in front of her left, maintaining her feet parallel to her shoulders. This pose was quite unnatural, though Lee made it look easy due to years of practice.

Eddy observed Lee's pose with an expression of confusion.

"You expect me to do that?" asked Eddy, "What do you think I am, one of those contortionists at the freak show?"

"Looks like you got a new appreciation for ballet, eh Eddy," said Lee with a smile. She playfully taunted Eddy by maintaining the pose while lifting her hand to her mouth and pretending to yawn.

"What's the matter?" asked Lee, "Too much of a challenge for ya?"

"You kiddin?" said Eddy, "I got this, watch and learn."

Eddy proceeded to attempt achieving fourth position. As he moved his right foot outwards, while simultaneously attempting to keep his toes parallel to his shoulders, his foot managed to loose traction on the floor. The sudden loss of control caused Eddy to fall down into a straddle split, something his body was not prepared for. To avoid straining his groin, he leaned his body to the side and fell on the floor with a thud.

Lee giggled at Eddy's clumsy display, as did Double Dee and Marie in secret. Eddy groaned as he lifted himself back to his feet.

"Don't worry sweetheart," said Lee, still chuckling slightly as she spoke, "It will come with practice. We'll work on some more leg movements later, let's get started on the arm positions."

As Lee and Eddy moved on to arm positions, Double Dee and Marie continued to watch the events unfold from the piano bench. Double Dee decided to comment.

"I had no idea Lee had such a knack for teaching," said Double Dee, "Her knowledge of ballet technique is superb, and it seems she has learned in the months of being romantically involved with Eddy that a challenge to his ego is his best motivation."

Marie giggled.

"Lee is awesome," said Marie, "Lee has always been a teacher and mentor. She's always had so much patience, and she never gave up on me and May when she taught us to read, get dressed, do braids, pretty much anything."

Marie glanced toward Lee, who was currently standing behind Eddy positioning his arms while talking to him via mirror reflection. She decided to continue.

"It still amazes me," said Marie, "Given what Lee has been through, I'd never thought I'd see a day when she'd trust a man emotionally. As much as she still picks on Eddy, it's more or less her way of flirting and telling him she cares. Eddy knows it too, it's like a mutual unspoken connection. To tell the truth, I can wholeheartedly say that I believe Lee is head-over-heels in love with Eddy, as much as she won't 'openly' admit it."

Marie paused.

"At this time, I believe Eddy is the only person outside of our family that she truly trusts. Lee's trust is something that is difficult to earn, simply because she has been hurt so much throughout her life. I always feel bad for Lee because she is somewhat alone in the world when it comes to 'girlfriends'. While May has the girls on the softball team, and I have Nazz, Lee really has no other girls to hang out with, nor does she have a desire to make any close friends."

"I certainly see your point Marie," said Double Dee, "Lee seems rather content keeping to herself, although she seems to get along with Ed and I just fine."

Double Dee paused, during which he turned to look Marie in the eye.

"Has Lee ever formed any form of platonic friendship with another female?" asked Double Dee.

Marie paused for a few seconds, after which she decided to reply. However, just as she had begun to form her first words, she was interrupted by the sound of two hand claps in rapid succession.

"Yo lovebirds!" yelled Lee playfully, "Come on break up the mushy stuff, you got time for that later. We need to start practicing with some music!"

"Hold your horses Lee!" yelled Marie as she turned around to face the piano keys, "At least let me get warmed up!"

For the next few minutes, Marie played some basic musical patterns, which Lee used to teach Eddy how to shift positions to music. Lee would demonstrate the movement, have Eddy copy it, and then they would both perform a routine together. The routines, while still rudimentary, were a great beginners exercise and Eddy was catching on faster than he realized.

After a few routines, Lee decided to change course on her lessons.

"Okay, that's very good Eddy," said Lee as she placed her hands on her hips, "Now it's time to work on the most important skill a danseur can learn to master...the ability to support and lift the ballerina!"

"Piece of cake!" yelled Eddy with a sly grin, "Give me your best shot!"

"Alright bub" said Lee, "Catch me under my hips, and hold me in the air with your arms outstretched!"

Lee backed herself a few feet away from Eddy, at which point she suddenly rose to the tips of her toes. As if she was lighter than air, she proceeded to toe walk daintily, yet rapidly towards Eddy. After a few steps, she suddenly sprung into air, surprising him.

Eddy instinctively reached his hands upward to catch Lee, and was in fact successful. For a brief instant, Lee remained in the air, her left leg held straight out horizontally while her right knee was bent. Her torso was oriented vertically, her arms were raised above her head, and her hands curved down toward the crown of her head, executing a common ballet lift pose. A smile adorned Lee's face as she closed her eyes.

While Lee had executed her part of the lift perfectly, Eddy's legs were beginning to buckle. Lee was 5'9" tall compared to Eddy's 5'2", and had around ten pounds on him as well. These differences caused the untrained Eddy to struggle, his arms shaking as a nervous expression appeared on his face. Eventually, his legs managed to give way, bringing him to his knees. Lee immediately took notice that Eddy was unable to support the weight, and promptly dismounted from his arms, returning to her feet with a smile on her face.

"We're going to have to work on that a little, but great for a first try." said Lee, "We've got a lot of lifts in this choreography, and I'm counting on you my little macho man."

Lee leaned down towards the disheartened Eddy and kissed him on the cheek.

"You'll get it cutie pie," said Lee, "You just have to practice."

Lee pinched Eddy's cheek slightly, causing him to crack a smile, and stood erect holding her hand out to help him up. As Eddy took Lee's hand, the sound of distant laughing filled the air.

"What the hell is that?" asked Lee as she looked around the room, searching for the source of the unfamiliar laugh.

After a few seconds, Lee's eyes located the source of the laughter. Kevin had found his way to the Kanker's basement window to spy on Eddy's dance lessons, and was in the process of taking pictures with his cell phone.

"Kevin!" yelled Eddy out of surprise, as he attempted to cover himself up to avoid being seen wearing tights.

"Well, well, well" said Kevin as he kneeled down to speak into the window, "I had to see it to believe it!

"Yo!" yelled Lee as she walked toward the window, "Get outta here, what goes on down here ain't none of your business!"

"Sorry," said Kevin as he attempted to control his laughter, "I heard about Eddy's little dance recital, and just decided to come give my pal some support. But then I saw him fail epically at trying to lift a girl and I just couldn't resist!"

Kevin began laughing again as Eddy clenched his fists and ground his teeth. Marie and Double Dee watched with concern as Kevin continued aging a field day at Eddy's expense. Lee stood next to the window, completely unamused at Kevin's display.

Kevin began flapping his hands up and down as he pranced in circleds next to the ground level window as he chanted in a babyish voice.

"Eddyette and LeeLee prancing on a stage. He's in a tutu..."

Kevin could not finish his chanting, as he was suddenly brought to the ground with force. Lee had reached her hands out the window, grasped his legs, and swept them out from under him. In an instant, she had drug the boy into the room through the window and slammed him up against the wall, her forearm pressed into his chest. Kevin's once happy-go-lucky demeanor had disappeared and was replaced by one of fear as he stared into the angry eyes of Lee Kanker.

Eddy, Double Dee and Marie watched with concern (and some fear from Eddy) as they heard Lee unleash her fury in a deep, gravely tough talking voice that they had not heard since she had reverted to her original appearance.

"Listen you little big chinned twerp," yelled Lee aggressively, "One, no matter how much you want to prance around, make faces, and run that big ass mouth of yours, you will never be half the man my Eddy is. That goes for personality, attitude, and I can guarantee dick size. Two, if you ever call me LeeLee again, or if I ever catch you videotaping into _my_ house one more time, you are going to wish I never moved into this neighborhood."

"Whoa whoa, okay," said Kevin rather nervously as he held his hands in the air, "Sorry, sorry I'll never do it again.

"Good," said Lee as she released Kevin, "I'm a pretty reasonable woman, so I'll let by gones be by gones if you stand here and delete any pictures you took of us while I watch. If you want to see or record anything pertaining to this ballet you can do it on the night of the talent show."

"Sure," said Kevin as he nervously began deleting every picture he took of Eddy struggling to lift Lee.

"A job well done," said Lee as she finished inspecting Kevin's phone to ensure that anything that could be used against them for amusement purposes was deleted, "Now get outta here, we gotta practice!"

Kevin quickly climbed up through the window and darted across the Kankers backyard, on the way back to his house. Lee turned around to see Eddy, Double Dee, and Marie staring at her in shock. Lee began walking toward the group.

"Alright let's take five," said Lee as she leaned her body against the wooden railing spanning the wall. "Then we'll work on some strength building exercises to help you with those lifts."

The three teenagers spent the next five minutes in casual conversation, attempting to clear the proverbial elephant in the room.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

At the same time that Eddy and Lee were in the midst of ballet practice, Jonny 2x4 and Plank (aka Captain Melonhead and Splinter the Wonderwood) were in the middle of performing a stakeout on Rethink Avenue; in an attempt to catch the burglar who had taken Kevin's bike.

Over the last few months, Johnny had constructed a rather elaborate treehouse, located within the the large tree in his backyard. The treehouse was dubbed "Melon Tower", and was built high enough to provide a clear overhead view of the entire cul-de-sac, as well as the entirety of the lane.

Jonny, dressed and acting the part of Captain Melonhead, had set up a beach chair next to the window nearest to the cul-de-sac. He was currently scanning back and forth across the street using a small telescope, similar to those used by ship navigators. On the opposite end, nearest to the lane, Johnny had set up Plank in a beach chair of his own, a small telescope taped to the side to allow plank to "observe" the lane.

"Well loyal sidekick," said Johnny, "No sign of the bicycle caper as of yet. But we must remain vigilant, as the cover of night is the perfect time for the darkness of crime to enshroud our homes."

Jonny paused, after which he slowly turned around towards Plank.

"What's that buddy?" asked Jonny as he began walking towards Planks chair, "You've spotted something? Let me take a look."

Jonny glanced into Planks telescope and scanned the lane. Sure enough, somehow, someway, Plank had successfully communicated to him the presence of a suspicious individual walking down the lane under the cover of darkness. The figure in question was wearing a green winter coat, buttoned all the way up to their neck. A blue scarf was wrapped around the individuals face, and a red bandana with white bubbles covered their head, obscuring their identity.

Jonny's eyes widened. He realized that he had finally fingered the culprit he had been searching for, as the suspect was walking with their hands gripping the handlebars of Kevin's prized bicycle. The mysterious figure was currently wheeling the bicycle towards the end of the lane, surveying their surroundings as if they were attempting to remain discrete.

Jonny continued to monitor the suspect all the way to the end of the lane, at which point a green Volkswagon Beetle pulled up. The vehicle stopped directly in front of the entrance to the lane, seemingly acting as the "getaway car" for the suspect.

"Great scott Splinter!" yelled Jonny, "We've found the perpetrator!"

Jonny placed the telescope on the floor of the treehouse, after which he grabbed Plank off of his beach chair. He proceeded to stick the board to the business end of a plunger, as if to use Plank as a makeshift lance, after which he ran towards the floor hole that acted as an egress from the treehouse to the ground.

"It's time to bring this crook to justice and restore order in the cul-de-sac!" yelled Jonny, "To the melon mobile!"

Jonny, with Plank in hand, proceeded to repel down to the ground using a nylon rope. As soon as they hit the ground, they mounted the "Melon Mobile" (really Jonny's scooter accented with pieces of cardboard, attached to the scooter using duct tape and painted in red and green colors) and quickly wheeled their way out into the middle of the cul-de-sac, on their way to intercept the car.

As Jonny rounded the corner to the cross street, the suspect had already placed Kevin's bike in the trunk, and was in the process of stepping into the passenger seat. The suspect closed the passenger side door, at which point the brake lights illuminated, followed by a brief illumination of the white reverse lights, indicating that the driver had shifted into gear.

"Stop Theif!" yelled Jonny as the car began pulling away. Jonny quickly removed a modified nerf gun from his tool belt. The gun had a plunger loaded into it's barrel; the plunger was tethered to the weapon, to act in the capacity of a grappling hook of sorts. Jonny fired the weapon, causing the plunger to soar through the air at rapid pace, eventually reaching it's target; the rear bumper of the vehicle.

Jonny held on tight as the vehicle began pulling the Melon Mobile down the cross street at a relatively rapid pace. The Melon Mobile was pulled along for about 200 hundred feet, at which point the car began decelerating due to a stop sign at the end of the street. Unfortunately, Jonny did not react in time to begin applying the brakes on the Melon Mobile; as a result, he continued to cruise down the cross street, on a direct collision course with the rear of the vehicle.

Inevitably, the Melon Mobile did indeed strike the rear bumper of the vehicle with an audible thud. The collision resulted in Jonny's body traveling over the handlebars, and coming to rest on top of the rear windshield.

At that point the sound of the transmission shifting into park filled the air, and the driver's side door opened. A slender woman of about 20 years of age exited the vehicle, and proceeded to run to the rear, her right hand placed her mouth as if she was upset. She was wearing a blue winter coat, blue jeans and brown "Ugg" boots. Her blonde hair hung to her jaw line, and was flipped up on the ends in the characteristic bob style.

"Oh my goodness," yelled the woman, "Nance, it's one of those cute little melon patch kids that were knocking on the doors for food drive donations! I hurt an innocent kind-hearted child and I'm going to jail!"

The woman began sobbing rather dramatically, as the passenger side door opened. The suspect that Johnny had been chasing emerged, walked to the back of the vehicle, and removed the red bandana from her head revealing herself to be Nazz.

Nazz glanced at Jonny, who was dazed but otherwise alright, and turned back towards the driver.

"Calm down Jules," said Nazz, "It's just Jonny from next door playing superhero."

Nazz helped Jonny off of the trunk, and back to his feet. She dusted off his custome, then pushed her hair back over her ear.

"You alright dude?" asked Nazz, "Why in the world would you try to skitch off of my sisters car, that is seriously uncool and you could of really got hurt."

Jonny regained his senses and, remembering that he was acting in the capacity of the crime fighter Captain Melonhead, decided to reply appropriately.

"Don't lecture me evil doer!" said Jonny as he pointed towards Nazz, "You and your getaway driver have been caught red handed. Surrender the bicycle so I can retain it to it's rightful owner."

Nazz and Julia glanced at each other with expressions of fear for a brief instant, after which Nazz turned back towards Jonny.

"Wait," said Nazz, "You saw me put the bike in the trunk?"

"That's right!" said Jonny, "Captain Melonhead has eyes and ears everywhere, no criminal can escape me!"

Julia giggled.

"Well Captain Melonhead sir," said Julia in a playful manner, "I will go quietly, and serve my time if your heroness has determined I have done wrong, but please give me and my sister a chance to plead our case."

"C'mon Jules, don't encourage him." said Nazz as she shot her sister an angry glare and walked towards Jonny.

"Look Jonny, I'll tell you the truth about the bike," said Nazz, "But you have to promise not to tell Kevin, okay?"

"We'll just see about that!" said Jonny.

Nazz rolled her eyes, after which she began to explain herself.

"Kevin's been talking for weeks about getting a full chrome polish, new tires, a new chain, and other things needed to restore the bike back into it's original factory condition. I found a Schwinn dealer that will do it in town, and decided to get his bike restored as a Christmas present."

Nazz paused.

"I was going to tell him about it before I took it, but then he decided to tell the whole world about my first name being Nancy, so I decided to make it a surprise and let him dangle for a bit thinking his bike was stolen. Me and my dad talked to Kevin's dad, and they decided to play along for the sake of the surprise. It worked, cause he's been talking about the bike non-stop for the last few days, it's really funny."

Nazz placed her hand on Jonny's shoulder.

"So, I wasn't stealing the bike, I was just taking it to the shop to have it fixed." said Nazz.

"Sure you were," said Jonny, "Isn't that the same thing the Grinch tried to pull when he was stealing the tree from Cindy Lou Who?"

"Oooh, I love that special," said the somewhat ditzy Julia, "Those instruments the Whos play are so cute, and don't get me started on..."

Nazz elbowed Julia gently, interrupting her rambling tangent, after which she continued speaking to Jonny.

"Come on Jonny I'm serious," said Nazz, "Do you really want to ruin a Christmas surprise over this whole superhero thing?"

Jonny thought to himself for a few minutes, after which a smile appeared on his face.

"Citizen Nazz," said Jonny, "As a superhero, I am sworn to uphold the law. However, under these conditions, I am willing to relax the Melon code and not report your theft to the proper authorities under one simple condition."

Nazz shrugged her shoulders, after which she smiled.

"K" said Nazz, "What's the condition?"

"It seems that with the addition of the new homes on Haventhought Way, the area has become too large for me and Splinter to properly survey," said Johnny, "With the holiday season upon us, I just know that there are going to be many humbugs out there, just waiting to ruin Christmas. I need some more help to be able to cover the area."

Jonny placed his hands on his hips.

"Citizen Nazz," said Jonny, "Captain Melonhead would like to officially recruit you as a crime fighter, sworn to uphold peace and justice within Peach Creek. While done with good intentions, a theft is still a theft, and can not be overlooked without some sort of payment to society. Volunteering as a crime fighter is a perfect way for you to atone for your mistakes."

Nazz glanced at Jonny with confusion, as Julia giggled slightly.

"Gee Jonny," said Nazz, "That sounds nice, but I am not much of a crime fighter, I think I'll pass."

"Very well," said Jonny, "I will just have to alert citizen Kevin of the misdeeds."

"No don't do that." said Nazz in a nervous tone, after which an expression of annoyance appeared on her face "Okay, I'll help you fight crime until Christmas, just tell me what I have to do."

"Very well," said Jonny, "Meet me and Splinter at the Melon Cave tomorrow night. We will teach you the Watermelon's creed, bestow upon you your superhero name, and give you your costume."

Jonny lifted the Melon Mobile off of the ground back onto it's wheels, after which he mounted the vehicle in preparation for the return to his house.

"Thank you for your participation in advance Ms. Nazz!" said Jonny after which he placed his foot on the ground to begin pedaling away. Just before he pushed off, he turned back towards the two young ladies.

"Oh by the way," said Jonny in his typical happy-go-lucky voice with a smile, "Hi Julia! Long time no see, good to see ya back for the holidays!"

"It's good to see you too Jonny!" said Julia with a smile. She reached her hand out and gripped the side of Plank in the vicinity of the area where his mouth was drawn on, "And glad to see you too Plank, you're just as handsome as always."

Julia removed her hand and giggled. Jonny leaned into Planks mouth with his ear, pretending to listen for Planks response.

"Plank says 'Thank you, it's been a while since he's talked to such a pretty girl.'" said Jonny.

Julia giggled.

"Oh, Plank, stop it." she said as she flicked her wrist downward. Nazz gazed at her sister, unamused at her ditziness.

Jonny placed his hands on the handlebars of his scooter.

"I appreciate your company ladies, but I have a job to uphold," said Jonny, as he began pedaling the scooter down the cross street. As the scooter turned onto Rethink Avenue, Jonny yelled at the top of his lungs.

"CAPTAIN MELONHEAD AWAY"

The Melon Mobile disappeared around the corner, at which point Julia decided to comment on the situation.

"That Jonny is still just as imaginative as ever," said Julia.

"Yeah, he's a little over the top sometimes though." said Nazz.

"But look on the bright side Nancy," said Julia with a smile, "You get to be a real life super hero, fighting crime an..."

Nazz cut Julia off mid sentence.

"Let's just go." said Nazz quietly as she walked back towards the passenger seat.

"Okay," said Julia as she jogged back to the driver seat.

The two girls re-entered the vehicle, buckled their seat belts and continued on their way to drop off Kevin's bike for repairs.


	19. Chapter 19

**Authors Note**

 _All,_

 _Once again, a big thank you for reading and reviewing the story, I hope it is enjoyable to all. I please encourage all of you to continue to leave comments and review, your feedback is very much appreciated._

 _Looking forward at my story outline, I am somewhat dishearten to report that, given my job and other commitments, and the desire for the highest quality of the story, this will not be able to be completed in time for Christmas._

 _However, just because it won't be completed in 20 days does not mean it will stop. I have been working on an intense schedule with this story for the last few weeks, attempting to accelerate to meet that date. Now that I have realized that meeting that date is impossible, I will be slowing down slightly, but not stopping. I apologize in the advance for the slower chapter turnaround. I hope you understand._

 _Without further ado, here's the next one!_

 **Chapter 19**

It was Saturday afternoon. While the sun was shining brightly, the temperature in Peach Creek was quite chilly. The reading on the thermometer was around the freezing mark, and accordingly, all of the residents brave enough to be out and about were bundled up accordingly.

The Ed boys happened to be within that particular minority. The three teenagers had once again mounted the Ed mobile, and we're making their way down the Main Street of the Peach Creek business district. Eddy was driving the bike, wearing a heavy brown workman's jacket, in addition to a red beanie hat and winter gloves. Double Dee was directly behind him, wearing his characteristic thick orange winter coat, and green earmuffs. Ed was not dressed any different than usual, other than donning blue gloves and a grey Sherpa hat.

"Do you think the girls believe that we are going Christmas shopping Double Dee?" asked Ed.

"I didn't witness any sign of suspicion in Marie," said Double Dee, "As much as I despise deceitfulness, I believe that in this particular case, the good intentions outweigh the dishonesty. Although, we do have to think of something else to use as an excuse for our frequent absence in the near future, as the girls will become suspicious if we are 'Christmas Shopping' on a daily basis. But what a coincidence, the girls happen to be going shopping tonight!"

"Sounds good to me," said Eddy, "I little bit of work now, some ballet torture for a couple of hours, then tonight, I'm a freeeee man!"

Eddy paused.

"I wonder how much Chris is planning to shell out for this tree deliver thing?" asked Eddy.

"Hopefully enough for Ed to procure May's pitching machine, myself to fund Marie's eye surgery, and yourself to purchase Lee's dream dress." said Double Dee.

"You still think I'm going to blow my cash on some ball gown that Lee doesn't even really want. I told ya before, I got a plan to stop World War 3, and it's good one." said Eddy.

"As a matter of fact I do" said Double Dee, "I have not given up hope on you yet Eddy, and I know that if you search within the depths of your heart, you will decide to do the right thing."

"Been there done that," said Eddy, "The right thing is to get rid of Lindsay, get Lee back to normal, and get myself back on easy street. I'll just get Lee some jewelry for Christmas, can't go wrong with that for a chick Christmas gift."

Double Dee sighed.

"Whatever you say Eddy," said Double Dee.

At that point, the Ed-Mobile had rounded the final corner of it's journey towards the boys destination. The tree distributor was located on a small side street that branched off of the main avenue. On the corner was a large sign, reading "X-Mas Trees Here: Delivery Included" with a large arrow pointing down the small street. On the left side of the street was a long wooden fence, acting as the boundary into the tree lot. The boys chained the Ed Mobile to the fence, after which they made their way inside.

The boys were taken aback as the tree lot came into view. The area was quite large, and contained an estimated amount of fifty trees, lined up into rows based upon size. On the left side of the lot sat a flatbed trailer with a hitch, as well as an old 1980's pick up truck with a long flat bed section, apparently adapted for handling Christmas trees.

In the back of the lot was a small shack, acting as something of an office building. Statues of Santa Claus and Ms. Claus flanked the sides of the brown building, each standing around 10 feet tall. A string of "icicle style" Christmas lights hung from the gabled roof of the shack, and were currently flashing in a chaser pattern. A large green wreath hung above the door, across which was a red banner that read "Merry Christmas".

The boys made their way across the tree lot and towards the shack. Double Dee lead the way in a serious manner, as Ed giggled dopily at the sight of all of the trees; Eddy trailed behind slowly with his hands in his pockets.

Double Dee walked up to the wooden door, with Eddy by his side and knocked three times. A mere three seconds had passed, at which point the door opened with a long audible creak, revealing Chris Nicklaus. He smiled as he looked down upon the boys faces.

"Well looks like my help is here!" said Chris exuberantly, "How goes it boys?"

"Good afternoon Mr. Nicklaus", said Double Dee, "Let me just say that I am very thankful for your offer of employment. All three of us are desperate for funding to fulfill our holiday wishes and are willing to work as hard as possible to suit our needs."

"Glad to hear," said Chris, "You boys don't know how much I need ya's this season. I'm swamped, I can barely keep up with the deliveries. Everyone and their mother needs a tree this year."

Chris paused as he exited the shack, closing the door behind him.

"Let me be straight up with ya's." said Chris, "I expect nothing but quality workmanship. My success depends on the happiness of my customers, and happy customers are those that get trees delivered on time, with no damage. You boys will all be getting paid ten dollars an hour."

"Ten bucks an hour?" asked Eddy, "At that rate, we're not even gonna get a hundred dollars if we work three hours a day until Christmas."

"C'mon kid, youse are lucky you're getting that," said Chris, "I'm only obligated to give ya $7.25, so take it or leave it."

Chris paused.

"Besides, I'm a reasonable guy," said Chris, "If you guys work hard and do well, you may get a little bonus reward on the tail end."

As soon as Chris had completed his sentence, Ed's voice rang through the air.

"Hey guys, check this out!"

At the same time that Chris was explaining himself to Double Dee and Eddy, Ed had been spending his time admiring and fooling around with the trees. Without Double Dee's better judgement able to intervene due to him being distracted, Ed had taken several Christmas ornaments that were on display, tied them to a rope, and hung them around the top branches of one of the 9 foot trees. After he had mounted the ornaments, he proceeded to bend the trees trunk until the top was touching the ground, creating a spring loaded catapult of sorts with the ornaments being used as the ammunition.

"Fore!" yelled Ed as he released the tree trunk, causing it to suddenly spring back to it's erect position. The Christmas ornaments were flung high into the air, on a parabolic trajectory towards the adjacent store building's concrete side wall. Within seconds, the ornaments collided with the concrete, shattering upon impact with an audible crash.

Ed giggled.

"I'm a scientist" said Ed is a dopey voice.

Double Dee slapped his palm to his forehead and slid it down over his face. At the same time, Eddy's face developed an expression of extreme annoyance.

Chris pointed to Ed as he glanced at the other two Ed boys with an expression of anger.

"That damage to those ornaments has just come out of your bonus my friends," said Chris, "Don't let it happen again, or I'll have to find other boys who really want to work."

"My apologies on behalf of my good friend Mr. Nicklaus," said Double Dee, "I can assure you that it will never happen again."

"Good, let's keep this thing accident free as long as possible," said Chris, "I don't need OSHA up my ass over nonsense like that."

Chris began walking towards the shack.

"I'll be right back," said Chris, "I'm going to go grab you guys some supplies, and some other paperwork you're going to have to fill out when you make deliveries. Then I'll take you around the shop and show you the ropes."

Chris entered the shack, and closed the door behind him. No sooner than the sound of the dead latch engaging the striker filled the air, did Eddy run over towards his oafish best friend in a fury.

"Ed!" yelled Eddy, "What the hell man, can't you control your stupid antics for five minutes! You just lost us some of our bonus!"

"I must agree with Eddy, Ed," said Double Dee in a much gentler manner as he walked towards his oafish friend, and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"While I appreciate your sudden, and may I say completely ill-timed interest in classical mechanics, we must be completely focused on our task at hand while at work. Mr. Nicklaus is counting on us to provide our customers with beautiful Christmas trees, that will provide merriment to families all over Peach Creek until a few days after the New Year. In addition, the money that we earn will be dependent on the services we provide in the days leading up to Christmas. You don't want to deny May her chance at owning a new pitching machine, do you?"

Ed pouted at the sound of Double Dees last sentence. Up until a few months ago, the only two things that could truly upset Ed were the denial of gravy and buttered toast. However, the prospect of denying May her hopes and dreams (or anything that could upset May for that matter) had been added to that list, and had been given highest priority for adjudication.

At that thought, Ed stood erect and delivered his friend a salute.

"Sir no sir," said Ed, "Little May will get her pitching machine sir!"

"You been watchin' war pictures again Ed?" asked Eddy in a sarcastic tone.

Ed smiled at which point Chris re-emerged from the shack, carrying a clipboard.

"Alright boys," said Chris, "Which one of ya's is good with numbers?"

In an instant, both Ed and Eddy whipped their hands towards Double Dee, extending their index fingers to point toward the boy. Chris immediately tossed the clipboard towards Double Dee. Due to not being athletic in the slightest, and not expecting the clipboard to be tossed, Double Dee bobbled the board in his hands for a few seconds before he gained control of the object.

"You'll be the most important guy of all," said Chris, "The guy who handles the money. You will be responsible for pricing the trees, monitoring inventory, and accepting and tracking money paid by the customers. All money going in and out of this business is tracked on that sheet. Think you can handle it?"

"Most certainly," said Double Dee, "I don't mean to brag, but numbers are my speciality!"

"Great", said Chris, "Now come with me, I'll show ya's around."

Chris lead the three boys to the flat bed trailer sitting next to the old pickup truck.

"See this here trailer?" said Chris, "This is what youse guys will use to deliver anything up to 8 feet tall. All's you guys got to do it take some rope, and hitch this to the back seat of that old school triple rider bike youse guys ride. Presto, you got a way to transport the tree to it's destination."

Double Dee glanced at the trailer with a look of confusion. The apparatus was set up perfectly to accommodate his triple rider bike, even accounting for the rear fender via a notch cut into the frame leading to the hitch pin. Double Dee decided to pose a question.

"Pardon my curiosity Mr. Nicklaus," asked Double Dee, "While I am impressed with the idea, and believe it to be the most efficient manner possible for us to deliver the tree, I can't help but notice it was designed as if you were aware that we utilize a triple rider rider bike for transportation. How did you possibly know?"

Chris paused momentarily, after which he decided to reply.

"How the hell should I know?" said Chris, "Good guess on my part, that's all I can say."

Double Dee pondered Chris's response for a brief instant, after which he was broken out of his trance by Chris slapping his palm on the hood of the pickup truck.

"For anything bigger than 8 feet, you're gonna need me." said Chris, "Just let me know if anyone orders a big puppy, we'll throw it in the back, and I'll drive ya's to the delivery spot."

After covering transportation, Chris began walking toward the area where the trees were being stored while signaling the boys to follow him.

The boys spent the next hour learning everything there was to know about Christmas trees, such how to properly trim the branches, proper cutting of the trunk, and how to wrap the tree to protect the branches during transport.

Before they knew it, Chris had determined that the Ed's training day was complete. He had bid them farewell until Monday afternoon, when they would be reporting back to the tree farm for their first day of deliveries.

It was around 3:00 p.m. when the boys mounted their triple rider bike to begin their journey back to the cul-de-sac. Eddy decided to be the first to comment on the situation as they turned onto the main avenue of the business district.

"Well, who knew there was that much to delivering Christmas trees?" asked Eddy, "And if you ask me, this Nicklaus guy is too much of a hard ass and a cheapskate too!"

"I will admit that Mr. Nicklaus does have high expectations for us," said Double Dee, "But he was gracious enough to offer us employment, something which we were desperately in need of. Looking on the bright side, in addition to funding our holiday needs, this job will be an excellent method for us to build some character and learn a new trade!"

"I am the tree man!" yelled Ed, after which he began making monster noises.

Double Dee giggled.

"That's the spirit Ed!" said Double Dee.

"Whatever," said Eddy as the boys continued to pedal down the Main Street of Peach Creek, on their way back to cul-de-sac for a well earned shower, and for Eddy to report to Lee's house for some dance practice.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

A few hours had passed since the boys departed the tree farm, and the twilight hours had once again hit Peach Creek. Although it was a little after five o' clock, due to the days becoming increasingly shorter as December progressed, the sky had altered it 's color palette from blue to a beautiful hue of orange and pink.

The Van Bartonschmeers had just completed their dinner routine, leaving Nazz to spend the rest of the evening as she pleased. Unfortunately, due to her and Julia's unexpected encounter with Jonny 2x4 as Captain Melonhead the previous night, her evening activities had already been set in stone.

Nazz made her way out of her house through the back door, and proceeded through the backyard towards the gate leading into the lane; the best course of action to remain undetected during her journey to Jonny's house. As Nazz walked down the lane towards the gate to Jonny's yard, she began to ponder her decision to keep Kevin's Christmas present a surprise. That afternoon, Kevin and Nazz enjoyed each others company over a planned lunch date. Due to the bike being presumed missing, Kevin's playful flirting and characteristic sarcastic wit was replaced with non-stop talking about his bike, complete with borderline tearfulness. Nazz began to wonder if it was really worth keeping the secret, as she would have to deal with Kevin's depressed state, as well as play along with Jonny's superhero charade until Christmas.

Nevertheless, Nazz passed into Jonny's yard and made her way to the storm cellar door acting as an entrance to the melon cave. While Jonny imagined an elaborate entryway consisting of a series of watermelon shaped stairs, and a large intricate, technologically advanced base of operations, the melon cave in reality was much less impressive. It consisted of a modified section of Jonny's basement, accessed via the storm cellar doors and a short wooden ladder.

Nazz approached the door, kneeled down and knocked three times. A few seconds passed, after which a small sliding door built into one of the door leafs opened. The small door was only large enough to occupy a single individuals eyes, and seemed to act as an observation port for providing "security clearance" into the melon cave.

"Who goes there?" said Jonny, his eyes peering through the small slot.

"C'mon dude, it's Nazz." said Nazz, "Can I come in, it's cold out here."

"Very well," said Jonny, after which he closed the observation panel and unlocked the cellar doors. "You may enter the melon cave."

Nazz rolled her eyes, after which she reached down and proceeded to open the door and begin the climb down the ladder into Jonny's basement.

The Melon Cave consisted of a small section of unfinished basement. A large hand drawn map of Rethink Avenue, with surveillance points marked with multicolored push pins, hung on the wall over the washer and dryer. On the other side of the room, a poster displaying the "Watermelons Creed" written in large, printed letters, hung from the rafters. In the middle of the room was a large swivel-style office chair, which happened to be Captain Melonheads personal throne. The hero was currently sitting within the arms of the chair, his back turned towards the entrance of the lair.

Nazz observed her surroundings as she walked through the poorly lit basement space, at which point Jonny's voice rang out from the chair.

"Welcome to the Melon Cave," said Jonny in a mysterious sounding voice, "I trust that you're alone?"

"Yes, I'm alone," said Nazz in an annoyed tone.

"So you've come to pay your debt to society by becoming a crime fighter," said Jonny, after which he rotated toward the chair to face Nazz revealing himself dressed in his full Captain Melonhead attire, "Being a crime fighter in Peach Creek isn't easy, are you sure you're ready for the challenge?"

"Sure, I guess so." said Nazz as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Very well," said Jonny as he stood up off of the chair, "It's time to bestow upon you a new identity, an identity that all of those who dare commit injustices will learn to fear."

Jonny reached toward the ceiling and took hold of what appeared to be a pull string used to open window blinds. The string was run across a series of pulleys attached to beams on the ceiling, eventually leading to a cylindrical structure surrounded by red curtains on the far side of the room.

At that moment, Jonny pulled string, causing the red curtains to open. Standing behind the curtains was an old mannequin that once belonged to Jonny's mother, currently being used as a model for Nazz's superhero costume. The mannequin wore a green mask, not unlike that worn by Zorro, overtop of it's eyes. On it's body was a one piece woman's swimsuit, colored in a hue of yellow-green. Green gardeners gloves were placed on it's hands, and a pair of white cowgirl boots adorned it's feet. Next to the mannequin was a crude drawing of Nazz, standing with her hands on her hips as she donned the costume, colored poorly with colored pencils.

"Citizen Nazz," said Jonny, "I officially dub you, the Harlequin Honeydew."

An appearance of disgust appeared on Nazz's face as she laid eyes on her new superhero costume.

"Gee Jonny," said Nazz, "I don't know, I'm allergic to spandex. Maybe I can just hang out in the tree house in my normal clothes and keep watch on the cul-de-sac from there."

"Don't be a fool H.H." said Jonny, "We can't risk revealing our secret identities to our enemies, we would endanger our families!"

Jonny walked towards Nazz and placed his hand on her shoulder. He leaned towards her, adopting his usual happy go lucky voice, and began speaking with a smile.

"Either way, I know your lying cause that's your old bathing suit!" said Jonny, "Julia brought it over earlier today. You should thank her, she helped me design the costume for ya."

Jonny giggled as Nazz ground her teeth.

"Jules..." said Nazz under her breath in an annoyed tone.

Jonny began walking back towards the center of the room, assuming the character of Captain Melonhead once again.

"No time to waste H.H.," said Jonny, "Let's get you changed into your costume, recite the watermelons creed, and get moving on our surveillance. I'm assigning you the duty of Haventhought Way! I'll be waiting for you up in Melon Tower, I know you won't disappoint."

Jonny climbed the ladder leading out of his basement and disappeared into the backyard, allowing Nazz some privacy to change into her costume.

Nazz sighed, after which she reluctantly began the process of changing into her costume. As she removed her shirt, she looked towards the ceiling with an aggravated expression and uttered a single statement to herself.

"Kevin, you owe me big time for this."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Around the same time that Nazz had began changing into her Harlequin Honeydew costume, the Kanker sisters were making their way to Peach Creek Mall, excited to start their first night of work at The Green Clover. Under ordinary circumstances, requesting use of the "Ed-Mobile" from Double Dee would have been the preferred method for making such a trip. However, due to the girls desire to keep their jobs a secret from the Eds, that was obviously not an option.

During the holiday season, Peach Creeks parent city provided discounted bus passes to all of it's civil service workers. This of course applied to the Kankers, due to Rod being a city fire fighter. Accordingly, the girls had decided to take advantage of the offer, and were currently riding the bus providing service from the Peach Creek business district to the mall.

The girls had taken their seat on the long bench seat in the very back of the bus. May was sitting at the far right, dressed in a green winter coat, blue jeans, and grey boots. Her blonde hair was once again placed in her favorite style; two ponytails secured by blue bows. She was currently immersed in reading the newest edition of Evil Tim, released the previous day, as she snacked on a bag of chips.

On the far left sat Marie, wearing a blue winter coat with matching earmuffs. She wore a blue head band as an accent to her usual hair style, and was currently using her index finger to doodle various shapes in the frost that had accumulated on the window. These shapes included images of jingle bells, Santa Claus, and even somewhat detailed pictures of Double Dee.

Finally, in between her two sisters, sat Lee. She was wearing her black designer winter coat, skin tight blue jeans, and black high heeled winter boots. Her red curls were draped over her shoulders as her blue eyes stared from behind her glasses toward the front of the bus. Her face displayed it's typical neutral expression, as she sat with her arms folded and her right leg draped over her left.

As the bus entered the highway ramp to begin it's ten minute journey to Peach Creek Mall, Marie decided to begin a conversation.

"Well this sure brings back memories of taking public transit to middle school back in the city." said Marie.

"Yeah, it does," said Lee, "This ain't nothin compared to the "El" though, that was the worst. Those trains were the only place where you could watch some street entertainment, and have some shit-bag try to grab your ass at the same time."

Lee laughed sarcastically as she completed her sentence. The Kanker girls were forced to take the cities elevated train line, locally known as the "El" to school prior to their transfer to Peach Creek Junior High. The line was plagued with degenerates from drugs addicts to street swindlers, and every ride presented it's own dangers.

"Eww I hated the El, said May, "I think the walk on "The Ave" underneath the tressle to get to the station was worse than the train ride itself. I'm so glad we don't have to do that anymore."

"Amen" said the other two Kanker sisters simultaneously.

There was a pause for a few seconds, after which Marie decided to change the subject.

"I wonder if the boys bought the story that we're going Christmas shopping?" asked Marie.

"I think so," said May, "Besides, what luck was it that our men were going shopping today too!"

"Don't get too comfy girls," said Lee, "We may be in the clear today, but we're gonna have to come up with something before our men wise up. Christmas shoppin' ain't gonna work everyday."

"I'm just glad I'm gonna be able to see my Big Ed smile," said May as she hugged herself, "He's gonna be sooooo happy with his present when he opens it on Christmas Day."

"Yeah," said Marie, "Seeing our boys happy is what makes this whole thing worthwhile."

Marie turned towards Lee.

"So Lee," said Marie, "Still keeping Eddy's present a secret?"

Lee glanced towards her little sister, maintaining a stern facial expression.

"Yep that's the plan," said Lee.

"C'mon, you can tell us!" said May, "I'll bet it's sweet!"

"She's stalling," said Marie playfully, "I bet she didn't even think of anything yet."

"Don't test me Marie," said Lee, "I told ya before, I got it taken care of!"

"Well excuse me," said Marie, "I'm just making sure that this stupid winter ball thing isn't getting in the way of your first Christmas with Eddy as a couple."

"Relax Marie, I'm not an idiot," said Lee, "My Eddy will get his gift, and I guarantee you he's gonna love it."

Lee glanced back towards the front of the bus with an angry expression, punching her left fist into her right palm as she spoke.

"But first, I've got a certain blonde haired slut that needs to be put in her place," said Lee, "She ain't gonna know what hit her once Annalee Kanker takes the stage Wednesday night."

Marie and May glanced at each other with concern, after which they returned to their prior activities momentarily. After a few seconds of silence, May interjected on a similar subject.

"How's Eddy coming along with the ballet?" asked May

"To be honest with ya, the little mans catching on faster than I expected," said Lee, "He's definitely getting all of the steps, and now we can do most of the allegretto. I didn't expect him to improve as much as he did in the little time we've been practicing, but he's coming along great. He's even mastered most of the lifts."

"That's great," said Marie, "I guess you'll be ready to practice with the music tomorrow?"

"Yep" said Lee, "Just focusing on the details now."

"So," asked May with a smile, "When can we get a sneak peek at your Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy?"

"Yeah," said Marie, "You haven't practiced that at all. The choreography you put together looks awesome, and I'd like to see it with the music at some point."

"Oh, I've been practicing," said Lee, "I just haven't been sharing it with anyone. Nobody sees my Sugar Plum Fairy until the night of the show. That's the plan."

"Jesus what's with ya and all these secrets?," asked Marie with a playful scowl as she reached up toward the buses stop request cable, "Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until Wednesday, it's our stop anyway."

Marie tugged the cord, causing the stop alert chime to sound in the front of the bus. The driver pulled over, allowing the three girls to exit via the rear door.

From the bus stop, it was a five minute walk to the main doors leading into Peach Creek Mall. The girls conversed as they walked across the packed parking lot, currently bathed in the cream colored glow of the street lights. The group of three made their way into the mall, and proceeded to the second level, the location of The Green Clover. The mall was quite crowded, with many families dressed in colors of red, white and green walking the halls, window shopping for the perfect holiday deal, as "Frosty the Snowman" played over the malls PA system.

Eventually, the girls entered the Green Clover, and made their way up the escalator to the clothing department. As the sales counter came into view, the girls spotted Edith Jessup standing behind the glass cabinet, organizing the Christmas decorations on display. Edith sensed the presence of the Kankers approaching, and turned her head towards their position with a smile.

"Hey girls," said Edith in a soft, motherly voice, "Long time no see."

Edith giggled as she glanced at each of the girls one-by-one.

"Let's see if I remember correctly," said Edith after which she pointed to each girl individually, stating each of their names "Annalee, Annemarie, and Annamae!"

"Yep," said Lee, "Right on Ms. Jessup!"

"Well, it's settled, I still got my memory!" said Edith rather exuberantly, after which she giggled, "So are you girls ready to get started with your first day of work?"

"Yes ma'am", said all three girls simultaneously.

"Great," said Edith, "Annalee, you will be working with me in the seamstress shop. With all of the holiday parties and winter balls, I can barely keep up with the orders. I'll teach you everything there is to know about dressmaking, and I guarantee your help will be most welcome and appreciated."

"No problem," said Lee, "I'll do my best."

Edith smiled as she turned her attention to the two younger Kanker sisters.

"As for you two," said Edith, "Annalee and I are going to be too busy in the shop to keep track of the sales floor and attend the cash register. I'm going to need you girls to help the customers, wrap gifts, sell chocolates and handle the money. Is that okay?"

"Yep," said Marie, "No problem"

"You can count on us!" said May in her enthusiastic, adenoidal voice.

"Beautiful," said Edith, "Alright, let's get you girls your aprons and we'll get started showing you around."

Edith spent the next few minutes showing Marie and May the ropes, including how to properly perform gift wrapping services, how to package customers chocolate orders, and how to operate the cash register. She also provided the three girls with their own Green Clover aprons, symbolizing that they were part of the team. The aprons were the exact same hue of green as the store logo, and had a single drawing of a golden shamrock on the chest area.

Once the girls had completed their tutorial of sorts, Edith led Lee to the seamstress shop to begin her apprenticeship as a dress maker, effectively leaving Marie and May in charge of the store. While the girls were nervous at first, as they had never dealt with such a high volume of social interaction, it only took a few minutes for them to become accustomed to basic customer service. However, this introduction to sales was only the tip of the iceberg; it was quarter to six, and "prime time" for customer volume at the Green Clover was set to begin in fifteen minutes, providing a true test of the girls ability to handle the crowds.

In contrast to the relative calm before the storm at the Green Clover, the Peach Creek Mall Arcade, located a few stores down from the Green Clover, was completely packed. People from all ages and all walks of life were spending hundreds of dollars in quarters to have their turn at making the high score board of a multitude of arcade classics, including Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and many more.

One of these individuals, a female teenager, had just placed a quarter into the coin slot of one of the Skee-Ball machines. The teenager was wearing a maroon designer winter coat, with white rabbits fur trim. Underneath her coat, she wore a pair of sky blue leggings, and her feet were covered by brown, leather high-heeled boots. On her face were a pair of large "Stunner" designer sunglasses, completely concealing her eyes; in addition her hair was completely wrapped up and concealed underneath a green Sherpa hat, decorated with white silhouettes of reindeer. The young lady's overall appearance conveyed the desire to remain discrete.

The quarter dropped into the machine with an audible "ching", at which point the machine released a series of six balls, each around the size of the average baseball. The female reached down and grasped the first wooden ball, her long, hot-pink fingernails standing out sharply against the dark woodsy brown of the ball, and positioned herself to begin her first roll.

The young lady seemed quite skilled, as she scored three five hundred point shots out of her first four rolls. However, her streak was cut short just as she was about to make her fifth roll, at which point a relatively shrill, yet pompous voice rang through the air from behind her. The female voice contained strong traces of a Polish accent, and seemed quite demanding.

"Lindsay Elizabeth," yelled the voice, "I told you thousands of times to stop wrapping your hair up in that ridiculous hat. How do you expect to win that new contract if you mess up those perfect waves?"

Lindsay ground her teeth as she squeezed the remaining ball in her right hand, seemingly aggravated at the sheer sound of the voice.

"And what are you doing in this ridiculous place anyway?" said Ms. Statorowski, "We've been over this before, and I thought we were finished with these barbaric athletic games. Just because you pulled that little stunt last spring doesn't mean you dont have to listen to me anymore. You should know by now things aren't that easy. Now what's the rule again, you're the prettiest girl in the freshman class..."

"And that's all that matters for a woman in this world." said Lindsay under her breath in a sarcastic tone, completing the womans sentence.

"Come on," said Ms. Statorowski, "Let's get a move on so we can beat the riff raff."

Lindsay remained as still as a statue as Ms. Statorowski began making her way towards the arcade. A few seconds passed, after which she ground her teeth and proceeded to roll the remaining ball as hard as she could towards the score rings, with what seemed like a high amount of frustration. Once the ball was out of her hand, she removed her green Sherpa hat, shaking her blonde waves back to their typical shoulder length position, as well as her sunglasses. She placed both of her accessories in her gray designer hand bag, picked it up, and proceeded to follow Ms Statorowski out into the malls pedestrian walkway.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Around an hour had passed since Marie and May had taken their place behind the sales counter. The girls had become quite accustomed to wrapping giftsand tying ribbons in various styles, but until the six o'clock hour, they had no idea what it meant to perform under pressure.

Over the last forty-five minutes, customers flocked into the Green Clover at an alarming rate, as they did every evening during the six 'o clock hour. This provided the girls their first true test as sales associates. Marie worked the cash register as May focused on wrapping gifts and tying ribbons. Unfortunately, due to the sudden increase in customer demand, the girls found it difficult to produce the same quality product as they did at a slower pace.

The first few customers that appeared at the beginning of "rush hour" left the store dissatisfied and rather upset. Marie, while not unintelligent in the slightest, was the first to admit that math was not one of her strong points; she usually left number crunching to the mathematically inclined Lee and Double Dee. Accordingly, she struggled to be able to provide customers the proper change after a purchase, causing those who desired quick and easy purchases to leave unhappy.

On a similar note, May struggled with her job as well when subjected to the pressures of a large customer influx. In particular, tying the ribbons proved to be her major weakness. On one rather large gift request, May, while attempting to tie the ribbon, had used her foot as a "third finger" to hold it in place as she tied the bow with her hands. Unfortunately, while May had tied the ribbon perfectly, due to her absentmindedness she had tied her foot into the bow. Not realizing that she was tethered to the gift, she had attempted to walk towards the counter to fetch a roll of tape, causing her to trip. This unexpected trip caused May to not only puncture through the entire box with her foot, ruining the gift inside, but also caused her to fall into the entire chocolate display stand, ruining fifteen boxes of chocolates. Of course, this did not sit well with management; while the girls did not loose their jobs, they did receive quite the tongue lashing from the floor supervisor.

It was now quarter to seven; the large crowds had died down, and the customer count had within the store had returned to that typical of the early afternoon. This lull allowed Marie and May to focus on cleaning up the mess they had created a few minutes earlier.

As May tossed the crushed boxes into a trash bag held by Marie, the two girls began to converse.

"Geez," said May, "This is harder than I thought!"

"It's not that hard," said Marie in a rather frustrated tone, "Ya just have to remember to take your foot off the box before you tie it brainiac."

"Hey it's not all my fault!" yelled May in her typical adenoidal voice, "You pissed off all those people cause you couldn't count the money!"

"I'd like to see you try Bucky!" said Marie, "You can't even count the fingers on your hand!"

"I can so!" yelled the ditzy May, who decided to reply by actually counting her fingers, "One, Two, Three, FOUR!"

"Good job Einstein," said Marie, "People have five fingers!"

"Not the way Antonucci drew us and Kilted imagines us!" said May with a sly grin.

Marie stared at May with an empty, confused expression for a few seconds, after which she replied.

"Touché," said Marie.

Marie placed her hand in the air in front of her, demonstrating the standard hand signal for "stop" as she briefly closed her eyes.

"Fair enough," said Marie, "Yelling at each other isn't going to solve this problem. Look, the way we performed tonight, we could have lost our jobs on the first day. We really need to tighten up."

"I know," said May, "If I loose my job, I'll never be able to get Big Ed his present! I gotta get better."

"Yeah," said Marie, "Let's keep at it, we can't give up. It's for our boys."

Marie held her fist out towards May to deliver a "pound", which May promptly returned with a smile.

The girls continued cleaning up in silence for a few seconds, after which May interjected.

"I wonder how Lee is doing?" asked May, "Hopefully she's having a better night than us."

"I wouldn't worry," said Marie, "I swear that girl can do anything. She's got looks, book smarts, street smarts, dancing skills, you name it! I don't think dress making will be too much of a challenge for her to learn. Plus she used to sew curtains for Ms. McKinstry, remember? She taught herself!"

"Yeah," said May with a smile, "I guess you're right!"

There was another slight pause, after which Marie decided to continue the conversation.

"I'm worried about Lee," said Marie as she glanced towards May with a concerned expression.

"I know," said May, "Me too."

"You saw it huh?" asked Marie, "How she reacted to the 'situations'?"

May shook her head up and down as she placed some more scraps in the trash bag.

"At least now we know that she never told Eddy about it" said Marie, "In a perfect world, I would say that this thing with Lindsay would all blow over with time. As much as I hate to admit it, I know this ain't going anywhere unless...

Marie glanced over Mays shoulder, at which point her face turned to anger as her eyes focused on an individual standing at the counter. She completed the sentence she had started.

" _SHE_ goes away."

May slowly turned around, at which point she met eyes with none other than their nemesis, Lindsay Statorowski. Lindsay had placed a long rectangular box on top of the counter, and her face was adorned with a cocky smile as she leaned her hand on the surface.

"Hey losers," said Lindsay in a long drawn out manner.

"Oh hey Lindsay," said Marie sarcastically, "Glad to see you too, what do we owe this pleasure?"

"I was just out looking for a new pair of jeans," said Lindsay, "But then I couldn't help but overhear you two mention my name in conversation. I'll admit, I was mad at first, but then I figured I'd cut you two a break. It's not uncommon for people to talk about me, mostly because they're envious of what they don't have."

At that point, Lindsay took notice of the Green Clover aprons the girls were wearing, and began laughing heavily.

"Are you serious?" asked Lindsay, "You're actually working _here_? How pathetic!"

Lindsay giggled, at which point Marie ground her teeth in anger and decided to retort.

"It's called _earning_ your money!" said Marie, "I figured someone who is so used to being handed everything in life wouldn't understand."

"Hun, believe me, I understand" said Lindsay, "I'm smart enough to realize that all I need in life is this hair, this face, and this body, and I'll have everything I could ever want."

"Oh wow," said Marie sarcastically, "So you're actually willing to keep laying down and being the puppet that you are all of your life. If earning a living is pathetic, that's downright pitiful."

Lindsay slammed her hand in the counter, and stared into Marie's eyes with an angry glare.

"You know nothing," said Lindsay, "You just focus on helping Geek Girl attempt to beat me out for winter ball queen. Trust me, all your hard work will be for nothing, cause I'm going to win."

Lindsay leaned closer into Marie's face.

"Just remember this fact," said Lindsay, "I'll always be number one. As for you and your sisters, you're just destined to finish last."

"I'll take last place over being a fake person any day." said Marie.

At that point, Lindsay suddenly reached her hand out and grabbed Marie's collar, as an expression of extreme concern filled May's face. Just as Marie was about to grab Lindsay's hand, and employ the martial arts training Rod had taught her to defend herself, one of the stores security guards took notice of the events unfolding. He approached the two girls, asking Marie if there was a problem. Lindsay let go of Marie, a scowl still displayed on her face, after which Marie decided to respond.

"No sir," said Marie, at which point she picked up the hand-held price scanner, and scanned Lindsay's item, "This young lady was just about ready to pay for her merchandise and leave the store."

The security guard nodded, after which he turned around and began walking back to his post. Lindsay reached into her pocket book, removed a bundle of cash, and gently tossed it in the air in front of Marie.

"Keep the change losers," said Lindsay as she began walking away, her brown heels clicking on the marble floor, "After all, I do take pity on those 'less fortunate' than me."

Lindsay made her way towards the stores exit, cachinnating as if she was the Wicked Witch of the West, leaving Marie and May to continue their job of sprucing up the sales counter.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

It was ten minutes until 7:00, and while The Green Clover was experiencing a lull in terms of customer volume, the malls corridors were packed with crowds of people, typical of a Saturday night. The malls food court, located a short distance from The Green Clover was no exception; it was a common gathering place for the teenagers of Peach Creek and the surrounding communities, especially on the weekends.

It just so happened that all three Ed boys, Kevin and Rolf were among these teenagers. Due to the presumption that the Kanker girls were spending the evening Christmas shopping, and Nazz being preoccupied with Jonny's antics in order to avoid spoiling Kevin's Christmas surprise, Eddy had decided to round up the guys and have a night out between the boys, something that they had not enjoyed in quite a while.

The boys were currently sitting at one of the tables within the food court. They had chipped in to buy a large plate of nachos, which was currently being devoured by Ed, Eddy and Rolf. Double Dee, being the neat freak that he was, did not care so much for the messy cheese poured over top of the nachos. This caused him to abstain from enjoying the chips. Likewise, Kevin was still rather distraught about his missing bike, and thus was not in the mood for eating.

"Well boys," said Eddy, "This is life."

"Yes, thank you for introducing me to this fine delicacy Ed boy!" said Rolf as he lifted a nacho off of the plate, stretching the cheese until it broke.

"These nachos are good!" said Ed in a mumbling fashion as his mouth was completely full. To Double Dee's dismay, some small pieces of food happened to spray on his cheek as Ed spoke. He quickly picked up a napkin and proceeded to remove the mess from his skin.

"I am glad to see that you three are enjoying your meal," said Double Dee, "But may I respectfully request that we remember basic table etiquette. Just because our girlfriends are not present does not mean we should fall into social disarray."

"Calm down Sockhead," said Eddy, "This is guy time! It's the whole point of this night remember? I mean how long's it been since us guys got a chance to hang out just the five of us."

Eddy performed a hitchhikers thumb toward Kevin.

"Even Shovelchin's girl had plans with her sister tonight!" said Eddy.

Double Dee glanced at Kevin, and took note that the red haired adolescent was not smiling; rather he appeared rather disheartened.

"Cheer up Kevin," said Double Dee, "I am completely aware as to how much that bicycle means to you, and understand frustration of bring unable to locate a lost item."

Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph of himself sitting on his bicycle. In the photograph, Kevin donned a black leather jacket, along with a pair of dark sunglasses, as his face displayed a confident grin.

"My baby," said Kevin, "She's gone. I might never see her again."

Kevin placed the picture back into his pocket, after which he folded his arms on the table, and placed his head on top of them. Ed swallowed the remaining nachos he had in his mouth, much to Double Dee's relief, and patted Kevin on the back.

"There there mister," said Ed, "I'm sure Santa just took it back to his workshop to have it fixed!"

"C'mon Ed," said Eddy as he took a sip of his fountain soda, "You still believe in Santa?"

"Santa's real Eddy," said Ed, "He's all around us, spreading his Christmas cheer to all the good little boys and girls. I'll bet he's watching right now, and planning how he's gonna help me get my Little May her present."

"There's only one fat guy giving away gifts around here," said Eddy, "And it's that Santa impersonator down in the main concourse."

Double Dee glanced toward Eddy with a hint of disappointment.

"Well I for one agree with Ed," said Double Dee, "While it may be a known fact that Santa Claus, as a person is imaginary, the personification of the jolly, corpulent man is alive and well. I view Santa Claus as the spirit of the holiday season, an intangible entity that fills individuals around the world with peace, hope and compassion."

Double Dee turned towards Kevin and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"And I believe that is what Ed is attempting to explain," said Double Dee, "With a little faith, I am sure that your beloved bicycle will be returned by Christmas."

Kevin continued to stare forward as if he was in a trance. A few seconds passed, after which his eyes became somewhat glassy, indicative of the formation of tears.

"I'll be back guys," said Kevin as he rose out of his chair, "I just gotta use the bathroom. Order another round of nachos, watching you pigs eat them all got me hungry."

Kevin darted towards the restroom, obviously escaping the situation due to his desire to avoid tearing up in front of his friends. Eddy waited for Kevin to disappear behind the restroom door, after which he turned to Rolf.

"So Rolfie boy," said Eddy with a grin, "Speaking of Christmas, me and Ed figured we could help ya out a little and whip up a little something-something for ya to give to Lindsay."

"Really Ed boy!" said Rolf with a smile, "Rolf wishes to give thanks to you, as this son-of-Shepard is not familiar with the local customs regarding...how do you say?..Christmas!"

"Well don't you worry about a thing buddy," said Eddy, "Cause the love doctor's got ya a prescription for happiness. Ed, show our pal what we made for him earlier."

"Aye, aye Eddy," said Ed at which point he reached down towards an old duffel back he had brought with him to the mall. He unzipped the bag, and proceeded to reach inside with both of his hands to retrieve the object in question.

"Ta Da!" yelled Ed as he placed the gift on the center of the table. He placed his hands behind his back as he stood next to the table,smiling dopily.

Double Dee observed the "gift", if one could even call it that, that sat in the center of the table with an expression of extreme confusion. The concoction appeared as if it was meant to be a bust of Lindsay. The statues face was extremely misshapen, and appeared as if it was made in the style of Pablo Picasso; the right eyelid dropped severely to the point that it appeared the eye was closed. The left side of the bottom lip sagged towards the table, and the tongue was hanging out of the left side of the mouth. Finally, the entire bust was made out of toilet paper that had been soaked in a bathroom sink and molded into a crude likeness of Lindsay.

"Up until now, I had thought I'd witnessed the limits of our absurdities." said Double Dee to himself quietly, "This most certainly takes the proverbial cake."

Rolf observed the "statue" for a few seconds, after which he smiled while rising from his seated position.

"Ho ho," said Rolf, "A token of affections for my beautiful Schmetlockin."

Rolf picked up the still slightly soggy bust and examined it.

"This paper used for cleaning of the nether regions", said Rolf, "Gifts made of such materials are part of your countries traditions, no?"

"You bet Rolfie boy!" said Eddy as he placed his arm around Rolfs shoulder, "My dad makes one for my mom every year. And believe me, we made this one out of the highest quality TP we could find!"

"Toilet Toms Two-Ply!" yelled Ed, "Attention to detail, that's why we're the best!"

Double Dee opened his mouth to morally interject to Eddy's plan, but quickly silenced himself, as he decided to honor his commitment to stay out of Eddy's plan.

"Thank you Ed boy!" yelled Rolf, "Rolf is eternally grateful! Please allow Rolf to honor you with the armpit rub of gratitude."

I old reached for Eddy's arm in an effort to raise it to deliver Eddy one of his cultures highest honors, but before he could initiate the movement, Eddy decided to interrupt him.

"No worries Rolf," said Eddy as he pulled his arm away from Rolf, "You can thank me later, I wouldn't want to ruin this perfectly timed moment!"

Eddy used the index and middle fingers of his left hand to point in the direction behind Rolf. The tall, foreign boy quickly turned his head to face the direction pointed out by Eddy, at which point a loving smile appeared on his face.

It just so happened that Lindsay, who had just finished up her purchase of a pair of blue jeans from Marie in the Green Clover, had decided to take a detour through the malls food court as she made her way to her next destination. She was once again carrying her grey designer handbag, and as always, attempted to flaunt her hips as she walked; her face displayed it's typical arrogant scowl.

"Ah," said Rolf in a relaxed vocal tone, "My Schmetlockin, her hair as gold as..."

Rolf was interrupted as Eddy shoved the toilet paper concoction into Rolf's chest.

"No time to talk," said Eddy, "Here's your opportunity Rolfie boy. Go wow her with this, and I guarantee ya she'll be begging for more. And remember to turn on the charm with a lot of your old countries traditions. I heard that Lindsay loves exploring other cultures, so have at it!"

Eddy patted Rolf on the back, after which he began making his way toward Lindsay. The stout Ed boy returned to his seated position, giggling uncontrollably.

"I can't believe you actually took the time to attempt to construct a bust of Lindsay out of toilet paper," said Double Dee.

"Hey, what can I say," said Eddy, "It suits her personality!"

Eddy laughed, after which he took another sip of his soda.

"I can only hope that poor Rolf's feelings aren't completely shattered when this plan inevitably fails." said Double Dee.

"Don't worry, he can take it." said Eddy, "Besides, if that slap he got last time was considered sexy, he'll surely like the result of this little conversation. And the best part is, Lindsay will hate it and eventually do anything to avoid us."

Double Dee sighed as he turned towards Rolf's position to witness the events unfold.

To Rolf's good fortune, Lindsay had decided to stop in the center of the food court to adjust her makeup. As she gazed at her face in her pocket mirror, she sensed an individual standing behind her. She slowly rotated the mirror until it was focused on the area over her shoulder, at which point her eyes met with Rolfs.

"Hello, yes!" said Rolf enthusiastically.

Lindsay rolled her eyes, as she used her right hand to close her clamshell mirror with an audible click. She placed the mirror into her handbag, and turned her head around to face Rolf.

"Oh, you again," said Lindsay with a scowl.

"Good evening to you my beautiful golden-haired babushka," said Rolf, "Rolf feels as though the sprites of love have struck his heart, and wishes to offer you the opportunity to join him for Nana's feast prepared for the coming of the Great Yeshmiyek."

Lindsay turned around completely to face Rolf as she sighed.

"Look guy, I told you before," said Lindsay, "I'm not interested. So why don't you take all of your weir..."

Rolf suddenly grabbed Lindsay's arm below her wrist, and brought it towards his face with a smile.

"Rolf wishes to share with you many of the traditional courtship rituals of his old country," said Rolf, "To proclaim his desire to share his love, Rolf offers the 'clutch of endearment', a tradition passed down through the generations that has brought all of Rolf's fore fathers together with his fore-mothers!"

At that moment, much to Lindsay's dismay, Rolf lifted his other hand up while smiling and reciting what seemed to be a poem in his native language. He proceeded to extend his pinky finger and place it around Lindsay's pinky finger, in a gesture commonly known in most cultures as a "pinky swear".

Strangely, Lindsay did not immediately react to Rolf's gesture with disgust. Rather, she stared wide-eyed at her hand, seemingly in deep thought. Within seconds, she slowly but surely curled her finger around Rolf's as well, apparently returning the gesture.

"Rolf sees that you accept his offer of flirtation!" said Rolf excitedly.

At the sound of Rolf's voice, Lindsay broke from her thoughts and quickly yanked her hand away from Rolf's. Lindsay rubbed her hand, after which she looked towards Rolf.

"Ah...No." said Lindsay sarcastically, "Look, I gotta go. I got a busy schedule, and if I wasted it on every guy that ever wanted to go out with me, I would never get anything done."

Lindsay turned and began walking away from Rolf. She hadn't taken two steps when the boy suddenly jumped in front of her.

"Not quite yet my sweet babushka," said Rolf, "For Rolf has not yet offered his partaking in the mandatory exchange of material possessions typical of the holidays in this new country."

At that moment, Rolf suddenly placed the toilet paper concoction into Lindsay's hands. Due to the grotesque appearance of the object, the fact that the toilet paper was still somewhat soggy, and Lindsay's "girly girl" tendencies, the gesture did not sit well with the young lady.

"EWW!" yelled Lindsay as she flung her arms outward to rid herself of the nuisance that Rolf had placed in her hands. While the gesture did achieve it's goal, the bust was not the only item that had found itself on the floor. Unfortunately, Lindsay's sudden motion caused her handbag to fall off of her shoulder, and all of it's contents to spill out.

Lindsay quickly scrambled to upright her handbag, and kneeled down to begin collecting her possessions as she clenched her teeth in anger. The contents of her bag consisted of what seemed like an endless supply of makeup, and several personal head shots and other magazine clippings she has starred in throughout her modeling career.

Of course, Rolf, being the good natured individual he was, decided to attempt to assist in the cleanup.

"Please allow Rolf to assist, my love," said Rolf as he transitioned to a kneeling position.

Rolf reached down towards a pile of Lindsay's head shots, with the intent of turning them back over to her. However, as Rolf reached for the photographs, he took notice that one of the sheets in the pile was not like the others. Rolf's absent mindedness got the best of him, and he decided to pick up the unique piece of paper for a closer look.

The sheet was a typical piece of white paper that appeared to have been torn out of an artists sketchbook. On it appeared to be an extremely crude child's drawing of a girl wearing a purple dress. On top of the girls head were scribbles of yellow crayon hanging to her shoulders, representing hair; on top of her head were blue scribbles in the form of a large blue bow. The girls arms were raised to her sides, one of which was cut off by the tear. Overtop of the girls head, the letters "V E R" were written in black crayon, as if done by a child.

"Ho ho," laughed Rolf as he laid eyes on the drawing, "The scribbles of a child resemble Bridget's scratches in Rolf's yard."

As soon of Rolf completed his sentence, Lindsay's suddenly whipped her head towards Rolf, her relative calm demeanor suddenly replaced with one of distress. She moved towards Rolf at a rapid pace.

"Don't touch that!" yelled Lindsay at the top of her lungs as she snatched the piece of paper from Rolf's hands. She quickly placed it within her pile of head shots after which she shoved them back inside her bag. After she ensured her handbag was zipped, she pointed her finger into Rolf's face.

"Now you listen to me!" said Lindsay in a loud cackling voice, "I don't want to go out with you, I don't want to flirt with you, and, as a matter of fact, I don't even want to look at you. And so help me, if you ever lay a finger on any of my personal belongings ever again, you are going to wish your family stayed in whatever the hell wierdo country you came from!"

Lindsay, in a frustrated manner, placed her handbag on her shoulder. She then proceeded to reach down and lift the bust off of the floor.

"And here, take this disgusting thing and get it and YOU as far away from me as humanly possible!" yelled Lindsay.

At that instant, Lindsay took the bust in both of her hands and smashed it over Rolf's head, effectively turning it into a mask of sorts. She then stormed away, disappearing around the corner within seconds.

Rolf attempted to remove the bust from his head using both of his hands, but in the process lost his balance. This compounded with his vision being impaired caused him to fall into one of the food courts trashcans, spilling trash all over himself as well as a large portion of the floor.

Naturally, many of the other teenagers who witnessed the events were laughing at Rolf's struggles. Back at the Ed's table, Eddy was pointing and laughing while holding his gut, as Ed simply stared with his usual absentminded smile. Double Dee remained fixated on Rolf with a neutral expression, unamused at Eddy's antics while simultaneously pondering the situation.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

A half hour had passed since Rolf's failed attempt to court Lindsay. Kevin had rejoined his friends in the food court, and after another round of nachos, the group decided to frequent a few stores, allowing Kevin the opportunity to procure Christmas present for Nazz.

It did not take long for Kevin to decide on a gift for his girlfriend. A few weeks ago, Nazz had discovered an intense interest in yoga, as a way to supplement her aerobic workouts. While her bedroom carpet was a suitable surface for laying and performing the poses, it was no substitute for an actual yoga mat. Accordingly, Kevin had acquired a mat, in Nazz's favorite colors of green and gold, to present to her on Christmas Eve.

In addition, the time spent shopping for Nazz's Christmas present had allowed him to clear his head from the negative thoughts regarding his lost bike. The snark, cynical attitude typical of the red haired boy had returned, at least for the night, allowing him to finally enjoy a long overdue time with his best friends.

The five boys were currently standing on the balcony overlooking the main concourse of the mall. In the center of the area stood a large Christmas tree, very similar to the one placed in the middle of the Rethink Avenue Cul-de-Sac. The tree was decorated with golden tinsel, multicolored lights and other ornaments. Directly in front of the tree was a large portable stage, on which sat a miniature mock-up of Santa's workshop, decorated with it's own Christmas lights. A large banner, reading "Merry Christmas" hung over it's door.

Most importantly, a large, ornate chair was placed in the middle of the stage. Within this chair sat jolly old Saint Nicholas, or, to be specific, a mall employee being payed to impersonate Santa Claus. Santa Claus was flanked by two "Elves", dressed in green tunics with red pointy hats. In front of Santa was a line of children, each awaiting their turn to sit on his lap to request their Christmas wish. In addition, the children had an opportunity to have a photograph taken with the Jolly Old Man. As the children departed the stage, the elves each provided them a small complimentary "stocking stuffer" gift.

Ed, Edd, Eddy, Kevin and Rolf were currently all leaning on the second floor balcony railing overlooking the main concourse, observing the events occurring around eighteen feet below. Ed and Double Dee were beaming with joy as they watched each child leave Santa's lap with a smile. Eddy clutched a fountain soda in his hand, periodically taking a sips through the bendy straw as he stood next to Kevin.

While under ordinary circumstances, rejection from the object of ones affections would crush an individual's emotional spirits, Rolf appeared relatively stable, albeit deep in thought. He remained emotionless as he placed his cheeks on the palms of his hands, his elbows resting on the banister.

Double Dee turned towards Rolf with an expression of concern as he took notice of his apparent melancholy demeanor. He placed his hand on Rolf's shoulder, and decided to attempt to cheer him up.

"Please excuse my intrusion into your personal matters Rolf," said Double Dee, "But I can't help but notice that you have been quite engrossed in thought since your meeting with Lindsay back in the food court. While I understand you are infatuated with Lindsay, for reasons that I cannot possibly comprehend, I am afraid that, as your friend, I must be completely honest with you. It appears that, based upon her negative reaction to your Holiday present as well as your attempts to engage her conversation, Lindsay does not wish to return your romantic feelings. As much as I loathe playing devils advocate, I recommend that you cease and desist from all attempts at courting Lindsay, as any further prodding may lead to terrible emotional turmoil for yourself."

Rolf stood erect and glanced towards Double Dee. Surprisingly, Rolf's neutral expression quickly turned to a jolly smile.

"Ho ho, it is you that is wrong this time head-full-of-brains Ed Boy," said Rolf, "For Rolf is not upset. The short Ed boy has informed Rolf that his Schmetlockin wishes to share in the cultures of Rolf's old country and indeed she has! In Rolf's old country, it is customary for the female to challenge the male and resist his advances during the initial courtship."

Rolf reached down and grabbed the now somewhat distorted toilet paper concoction off of the ground, displaying it in front of him as he delivered his next line.

"It seems Ed boy with the mouth as loud as the roosters crow has been practicing the wizardry." said Rolf with a smile, "As this token, was able to be used as the customary Furtsterken, or in your native tongue...how do you say?...'Courtship Mask'."

Double Dee stood confused at Rolf's statement.

"Courtship mask?" asked Double Dee.

"Please allow Rolf to explain," said Rolf, "In the old country, to display affections and the desire to engage in smittenry, the female places the Fursterken in her likeness over the males head. This signifies the ending of the resistance and the beginning of the typical happy-go-luckyings that is quite common in your country during courtship."

"Your culture never ceases to amaze me Rolf." said Double Dee in a quiet tone, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Thankfully, the stout Ed boy is no longer snake-in-the-grass-Ed-boy," said Rolf, "Or else I would be led to believe that he is pulling a hole in my knickers!"

Before Double Dee could retort, realizing the irony of Rolf's statement, Rolf continued with his joyous banter.

"Excuse me Ed boy," said Rolf, "Rolf must perform the dance of many joys, as the placing of the Fursterken signifies that Rolf's Schmetlockin will be as gentle as a lamb the next time Rolf sees her."

Double Dee watched as Rolf stepped away from the banister toward the middle of the walkway, and began performing something reminiscent of a step dance as he slapped his knees in rhythm. As he performed the maneuvers, he began humming what seemed to be a native folk song.

Double Dee sighed as he turned back towards the main concourse and leaned on the railing.

"Well," said Double Dee, "I tried my best, but it seems no matter how much logic or reason I attempt to bring to the cul-de-sac, I am destined to be inhibited from success. Whether it is Eddy's stubborn nature, or Rolf's cultural boundaries, there always seems to be an obstacle to achieving complete moral focus."

Double Dee paused for a moment, after which he decided to engage Ed in an unrelated conversation. However, upon turning to his right, he discovered that the area previously occupied by the oafish adolescent was now vacant. He gazed up and down the corridor attempting to locate Ed to no avail. After a few moments, he approached Eddy and Kevin who were both laughing uncontrollably at an unknown matter.

"Please excuse my interruption of your amusing conversation," said Double Dee, "But do either of you happen to know where Ed has run off to?"

Eddy and Kevin turned towards Double Dee, and pointed down towards the direction of the Santa Claus. Double Dee glanced over the railing and, sure enough, caught sight of his oafish friend.

It seemed that in a fit of excitement regarding the Christmas season, in addition to the presence of Santa Claus, Ed had made his way down into the main concourse undetected in an effort to meet with the fat man himself. However, as usual, Ed's excitement and general good intentions proved to be his worst enemy; he had inadvertently ignored a queue of around thirty children, and had made his way directly to the stage. Just as one of the elves was about to lift a child onto Santa's lap to have his picture taken, Ed suddenly jumped onto the stage and planted himself on Santa's lap. The sudden increase of unexpected weight startled Santa, and while he was surprised at the fact that an individual of Ed's age and stature was sitting on his lap, he nonetheless regained his composure and decided to play the part. He smiled, laughed with his characteristic Ho Ho, and asked Ed his name.

Ed smiled, after which he suddenly reached his arms out, proceeding to squeeze Santa in a bear hug.

"SANTA!" yelled Ed, "I am so glad to see you! It's me Ed! I'm the good little boy that left you gravy cakes and milk last year."

Ed pulled away, and before Santa could reply, Ed began reciting his Christmas wish list.

"Let's see," said Ed, "I want a new Paulbilt hat for my Dad, he's a trucker and drives a Paulbit you know. A new set of garden tools for my Mom cause she likes to take care of the yard. The new Polly PooPoo doll for my sister Sarah so the one she has can have a friend. Oh I'm working really hard selling trees to try to buy my girlfriend May an automatic pitching machine because she likes to play softball and is trying to practice hitting so she can make the school team, but I don't know if it will be enough so if you can please help me get it I would be soooo happy and..."

Ed continued on his seemingly endless list, selflessly requesting Christmas gifts for his two best friends, as well as the rest of the Rethink avenue cul-de-sac. As Ed delivered his Christmas list to Santa, Eddy, Kevin and Double Dee continued to observe from the balcony above, with Kevin and Eddy laughing as Double Dee observed with confusion.

"Go Lumpy Go!" yelled Eddy as he raised his fist, after which he laughed.

"While I admire Ed's enthusiasm for the holiday season and understand his eagerness to meet Santa Claus," said Double Dee, "Excitement is no excuse for poor manners and does not warrant not waiting ones turn."

"Geez," said Kevin, "My man's talking that Santa's ear off, how much stuff can one guy ask for?"

"Trust me," said Eddy, "The only way they're getting Lumpy away from Santa is if security pries him off!"

The two boys laughed, after which Kevin adopted a sly grin.

"Yo Dorkie," said Kevin, "I dare you to go sit on Santa's lap, and get a picture with him."

"I'll do you one better," said Eddy with a smile as he glanced down the corridor. Directly above the Christmas tree a large chandelier hung from the ceiling. Attached the post of the chandelier were four long strands of pine garland. Each strand branched off in it's own direction, hanging over the grand concourse with a decent amount of slack, and terminated at anchor points on the balcony railings.

One of the strands of garland happened to terminate around ten feet away from the boys current position. Eddy analyzed the position of the particular strand of garland for a few seconds, after which he turned toward Kevin with a sly grin.

"Ten bucks says I'll use that garland to swing down from the balcony, and land on Santa's lap just as Ed's picture is being taken." said Eddy as he performed a hitchhikers thumb towards the attachment point.

Kevin laughed.

"Alright dork you win." said Kevin, "Ten bucks is worth seeing this."

"Now wait just a minute!" said Double Dee in a rather alarmed tone of voice, "I absolutely cannot stand by idly and allow you to proceed with this course of action. Not only is this little wager of yours extremely dangerous, as the tensile strength of that strand of garland is nowhere near adequate for the support of your body weight, but it is also morally objectionable. Take a look at all of those children standing down there awaiting their turn with Santa, their holiday spirits high and filled with cheer. I would absolutely despise to witness their time with Santa delayed due to a childish prank carried out by immature teenagers."

"Relax Sockhead," said Eddy, "You're the one who was telling me to lighten up at the girls house the other day and 'accept a friendly Yuletide joke'"

"Yeah Double Dork, lighten up!" said Kevin as he removed his camera phone from his pocket, intent on recording Eddy's stunt, "Don't be a buzzkill, I came here to have some fun."

Double Dee placed both of his hands in from of him, as if to indicate his intent to stand down from arguing with the boys.

"Fair enough," said Double Dee, "I will say no more. When you are finished with this ridiculous charade, please meet me in the Trademark, where I will be procuring Christmas cards. I simply cannot bear to watch this."

Double Dee turned and began walking in the direction of the Trademark store, leaving Eddy and Kevin to their own devices. As soon as Double Dee was out of sight, Eddy began untying the garland strand from the railing in preparation for his big stunt.

Meanwhile, down in the main concourse, Ed had finally finished his Christmas list wish, leaving the Santa impersonator surprised at the sheer volume of requests from the lovable oaf. Despite the large volume of requests, only a handful were for himself; it seemed Ed's greatest Christmas wish was to ensure all of his loved ones were happy. The Santa impersonator had taken notice of this fact, and congratulated Ed on his selflessness accordingly as one of the elves began to position the camera to take Ed's picture.

Back up on the overhead walkway, Eddy had finished untying the garland strand from the railing and was holding it in his right hand. In addition, he had removed his sweater, folded it up, and tied it across his chest to resemble a Tarzan outfit. Both boys were observing the events occurring below.

"This has to be timed perfectly." said Eddy quietly.

Eddy watched as the elf set up the camera tripod, and grabbed a hold of the shutter release cable. As the elf prepared the camera, Ed prepared himself for the photograph with an over-exaggerated smile. At the same time, Eddy grabbed a hold of the garland, and climbed on top of the railing.

"Alright Shovelchin," said Eddy, "All set with the video?"

"Copy that Dorky, go for it!" said Kevin as he started recording with his cell phone.

At that moment, Eddy jumped off of the railing, and using the garland as a makeshift vine of sorts, began swinging down towards the stage while emitting a long, drawn out wail similar to that of "George of the Jungle".

Unfortunately for Eddy, the speed at which he was traveling was greater than he had anticipated, and by the time he realized his mistake, he had also realized that it would be impossible for him to stick the landing on top of Santa's lap. To make matters worse, as Eddy reached the bottom of his swing, his weight caused the garland to tear, just as Double Dee predicted, leaving Eddy airborne and out of control. Within half a second, Eddy went from standing safe and sound on the malls upper walkway to a direct collision course with Ed and the Santa impersonator.

Eddy's plan was not without complete failure, as the inevitable collision occurred at the exact moment the elf had pressed the button to activate the shutter. The resulting photograph showed Eddy, Ed and Santa, all with distressed expressions on their faces, frozen in time at the moment of the collision. The force of the impact had caused the chair Santa was sitting on to overturn, causing Ed and Santa to plummet to the floor. Eddy had come to rest around five feet from Ed and Santa, and had managed to crash into a portion of the display, damaging it slightly. These events, of course, left all of the children and parents waiting in line to see Santa in a state of disbelief.

A few seconds passed, after which Santa rose to his feet while rubbing his head, appearing slightly dazed. Unfortunately for the Santa impersonator, his phony white beard had been unintentionally torn off by Eddy during the course of the collision, and was currently laying on the ground next to the stout adolescent. This resulted in many of the parents shielding their children's eyes, and promptly removing them from the area in order to avoid spoiling their belief in Santa Claus.

Eddy, who was currently laying on his back, removed a piece of wooden debris that had landed on top of his face. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by two stern faced mall security guards standing over top of him, as well as the angry yet beardless Santa impersonator.

"Ah shit..." said Eddy softly as one of the security guards flicked his finger repeatedly upward, signaling the boy to come with him.


	25. Chapter 25

_Authors Note:_ _Hello everyone, since I believe that this will be the last chapter posted before the big day, I just wanted to wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas. Thanks for reading, and I hope all of you that celebrate the holiday have a day well spent with friends and families._

 **Chapter 25**

Sunday afternoon had come and gone, and dusk had set in over Rethink Avenue. Double Dee was currently making preparations for an evening with Marie. The couple had planned to spend Sunday evening together, watching a Christmas special about a certain red-nosed reindeer that happened to be airing that night. Accordingly Double Dee had prepared for the evening by preparing a large bowl of popcorn in the microwave, and vacuuming his den.

The characteristic calm of a typical Sunday afternoon was in complete contrast to the chaos of the previous night at Peach Creek Mall. In the aftermath of Eddy's stunt, he and Ed found themselves banned from stepping foot into Peach Creek Mall for the remainder of the holiday season; Eddy being banned for actually performing the stunt, while Ed was banned under the pretense that his visit to Santa Claus served as a "setup" to the prank. Ed was unable to prove without reasonable doubt that this was not the case, and while he was quite disheartened at the outcome, the lovable oaf quickly bounced back to his jolly happy self. He had decided to spend Sunday night with May, working on building and painting the set for Lee's performance. Eddy had, of course, committed his time to practice Lee's ballet routine in preparation for the talent show.

Double Dee had just placed the large, blue bowl of popcorn on the coffee table when the doorbell sounded. The intelligent adolescent made his way to the living room, stopping only to ensure that no lint was present on his shirt via the mirror, and opened the front door.

As expected, Marie was standing on the other side, smiling joyously. She was wearing her usual blue sweater, white colored blue jeans, and blue "ugg style" boots. On her shoulder, she carried a grey handbag, lent to her by Lee for the night.

"Ms. Kanker," said Double Dee playfully, "You are looking lovely as always, won't you please come in?"

Double Dee smiled as he stepped aside, bowed and waved his hand towards the interior of the house.

"Alright Mr. Smooth," said Marie, "Can it with the sweet talk and give me a kiss, I haven't seen you since Friday."

"As you wish Marie," said Double Dee as he leaned in and kissed Marie on the lips.

Marie smiled as she closed the door, after which she began making her way to the den with Double Dee following suit. The two teenagers entered the small room, after which Double Dee closed the French doors for privacy. Marie placed her handbag down on the coffee table, and proceeded to take a seat on the couch.

"It appears that the movie is not set to begin for at least another twenty minutes," said Double Dee, "Do you have any suggestions as to how we should pass the time?"

"As a matter of fact Double Dee, I do!" said Marie as she grabbed her handbag, "I was going through some old stuff this afternoon and found a bunch of pictures of me and my sisters when we were little at Christmas time. I thought they would be fun to share."

"I would thrilled for you to share those photographs Marie!" said Double Dee as he sat down next to Marie while folding his hands.

Marie unzipped the handbag, reached inside, and removed a few photographs secured together with a rubber band. She removed the rubber band from the pack of photographs, taking the topmost one in her hand, and set the remainder down on the coffee table.

"Check out these three little cuties," said Marie as she held the photograph out for Double Dee to view, giggling girlishly as she completed her sentence.

Double Dee took the 4x6" photograph in his hand, staring at it's contents with a loving smile. In the photograph, Santa Claus sat in what appeared to be a beat up arm chair. On his right leg sat a small, red-headed little girl; her curls silky smooth and dangling to the middle of her back. She wore a green dress with white leggings and maryjane shoes. Her face was radiating absolute happiness, and she was displaying a wide, toothy smile out of sheer excitement. Directly next to her, sat a smaller girl with black hair, currently tied into two ponytails hanging over her shoulders. She was wearing a pink dress, and white leggings, smiling exuberantly just as her sister was. On Santa's opposite knee sat a blonde haired little girl, her hair barely long enough to secure into two ponytails. Unlike her two sisters, her face was quite expressionless, as she was not yet old enough to fully grasp the excitement of Christmas. She was wearing red pajamas with green and gold highlights on the chest, and feet sewed into the bottom of the pant legs.

"Here's us on Christmas Eve," said Marie, "I think I was three years old here."

Marie paused briefly, after which she continued her story.

"This was taken before my mom and dad broke up the first time, back in our old house on Kingsessing Avenue." said Marie, "It was a tradition in our family to have a gathering on Christmas Eve. My Grandmom and my mom would make potato and pasta salads, and cook a turkey dinner. My Dads mom and dad, we call them Grampy and Nana, and my all my aunts, uncles and cousins from my Dads side would bring all kinds of side dishes. My dad is the second youngest of eight children, and each of them has at least three kids, so the house was packed. There'd be Christmas music playing, and everyone would be having so much fun. Then, once everyone was there my Poppy would dress up as Santa Claus, and knock on the door. All of the kids would run to the door in excitement, and he'd come in to take pictures, let everyone sit on his lap and give everybody gifts. Then he'd leave, get changed out of the costume and join the party, telling us he had to work late that night; we believed him every time!"

Marie giggled, after which an expression of sadness overtook her face.

"We stopped having these Christmas Eve gatherings when my mom and dad broke up." said Marie, "It was another one of the great things that disappeared from our lives around that time. My poppy used to still come to the apartment to play Santa for us every year, before he passed away."

Marie paused for a few moments, after which she suddenly perked up, glancing towards Double Dee with a smile.

"Well I guess now's the perfect time to tell you that my mom and dad decided to revive the tradition, now that they are back together and we have our own house again." said Marie.

"That's wonderful Marie!" said Double Dee, "I'm sure your family will be thrilled to partake in your Christmas Eve celebrations."

"Yep," said Marie, "The best part of all is you will get to experience it first-hand. And your mom, and your dad, Ed, Eddy, their parents and the rest of the cul-de-sac cause we are inviting everybody!"

Marie ran her fingers through her black hair, after which she continued speaking.

"We view everyone on Rethink Avenue as our family," said Marie, "Everyone welcomed us to the cul-de-sac with open arms, and treated us as if we had been residents our whole lives. So in return we decided to include everyone in our Christmas Eve celebration. I hope you can make it!"

Double Dee's eyes widened with excitement.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Marie," said Double Dee as he took Marie's hand in his, "I'm sure mother and father will be thrilled to attend as well."

Thanks sweetie," said Marie, "It won't be the same without my Poppy, but my dad said he's going to play Santa for the kids this year. It should be fun."

"I'm sure it will!" said Double Dee.

Marie spent the next few minutes sharing the remainder of her photographs with Double Dee, including one of her and her sisters in their pajamas, opening presents on Christmas morning; and a photograph of the Kanker family, at a time when May was an infant, all dressed in Christmas sweaters. After viewing the final photograph, Double Dee was struck with an idea of his own.

"Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories Marie," said Double Dee, "Those photographs most certainly captured the holiday spirit in the Kanker-Lonergan household through the years. If you don't mind, may I share a photograph with you?"

"Don't be silly Oven Mitt," said Marie as she playfully slapped Double Dee in the arm, "Of course you can!"

"Very well," said Double Dee, "I shall return momentarily."

Double Dee rose up from the couch, and briskly made his way out of the den and up to his room. Not two minutes had gone by when he returned, holding an 8x10" picture frame in his hand. He once again closed the doors leading into the den, walked to the couch, and took a seat next to his girlfriend handing the framed photograph to her for viewing.

Marie clutched the photograph in her hand, the red of her fingernails prominently standing out against the ornate silver framing, as a melancholy expression appeared on her face. Santa Claus was once again the most prominent feature of the photograph, sitting front and center in a large red chair. He was smiling as held two small boys within his arms, each boy also smiling from ear-to-ear as they glanced towards the camera. Both boys wore red sweaters, and their thick black hair was cropped quite short, parted on the side. It was borderline impossible to tell the difference between the boys, as they shared every physical feature due to being identical twins. At the bottom of the photograph, the words, "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Jacy's" was spelt out in a festive font.

"A photograph of James and I with Santa Claus," said Double Dee, "As a matter of fact, this was the final Christmas we were able to spend together."

There were a few moments of silence, after which Marie decided to comment.

"You sure are cute little guys," said Marie, "You two look so excited to see Santa!"

"Yes, we certainly were," said Double Dee with a smile, "James and I would spend many a day perfecting letters to Santa Claus during the holiday season. We also assisted mother in baking Christmas cookies, and constructed custom ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree."

Double Dee paused.

"Words cannot describe how much I miss him Marie," said Double Dee, "Nothing will ever replace the hole that was left in my life when he passed, but I know that his spirit and selflessness will always live on during the holiday season."

Marie reached up and touched her hand to Double Dee's cheek; her eyes slightly teary. The couple shared a smile for a few moments, after which Double Dee decided to lighten the mood with a different story.

"I will say one thing," said Double Dee, "Our experience with this department store Santa was most certainly better than Eddy's at the mall last night."

Marie was slightly taken aback with surprise at Double Dee's statement.

"You guys were at the mall last night?" asked Marie, attempting to mask her distress. She did not realize her and her sisters could have been caught working at the Green Clover on their first night.

"Certainly," said Double Dee, "Due to you and your sisters going Christmas shopping with your parents, and Nazz having plans with Julia, Eddy suggested that Ed, Kevin, Rolf and myself join him at the mall for a night of fun amongst friends. The night, of course, ended in utter disaster, due to Eddy's tendency to partake in immature antics."

Marie giggled.

"Care to share?" asked Marie.

Double Dee spent the next few minutes sharing the story of Eddy's stunt with Marie. While Double Dee did not witness the incident, due to removing himself from the situation, he was shown the entire stunt including the aftermath via the recording Kevin took with his cell phone.

"Wow," said Marie, "Sounds like you guys had quite a night."

"Indeed, Marie," said Double Dee, "Furthermore, Eddy's prank resulted in he and Ed being blacklisted, Eddy being scrutinized for obvious reasons, while Ed had been placed on the list due to the belief that he had acted as a voluntary accomplice. As a result, neither Ed nor Eddy are permitted to step foot on the grounds of the mall for the remainder of the holiday season."

Marie breathed a sigh of relief in her thoughts upon hearing that the Eds were banned from the mall, as this would eliminate the possibility of them catching the sisters at the Green Clover. On the exterior, she maintained her cool, and decided to reply accordingly.

"That sucks for them," said Marie, "At least I know my little dream boat is going to be on Santa's good list this Christmas."

Marie pinched Double Dee's cheeks playfully, causing him to smile. She pulled away, then reached towards the coffee table to grab a can of soda Double Dee had offered her a few minutes prior.

Double Dee remained motionless, deep in thought for around five seconds, deciding whether or not to speak his mind. Ultimately, his moral conscious won the internal battle, and he decided to let Marie in on a secret.

"Marie," said Double Dee, "There's something I've been morally struggling with for the last few days that I need to get off of my chest, so to speak. Perhaps you could provide some advice as to how I should handle the situation?"

Marie lifted the can of soda towards her mouth to begin drinking.

"Sure cutie," said Marie, "You know you can tell me anything!"

"Very well," said Double Dee, "As you know, Lee's obsession with defeating Lindsay in the campaign for winter ball queen has lead her to take unprecedented actions to ensure her victory, such as changing her mind on attending the dance, and competing in the schools talent show. As a result, she has been putting a substantial amount of pressure on Eddy to assist with her expectations, and it seems that these pressures are driving Eddy to take drastic measures himself. Accordingly, Eddy has taken it upon himself to develop a foolish plan, involving Rolf and his sometimes overwhelming cultural oddities, in an attempt to cease Lindsay's provocation of Lee."

At that moment, Marie, currently taking a drink out of her soda can, developed an alarmed expression and pulled the can away from her face rapidly; spitting out the soda remaining in her mouth in a proverbial "spit take." She quickly turned towards Double Dee.

"Has he told Lee that he's planning on doing this?" asked Marie with a cackling intonation that Double Dee had not heard since before they had become a couple.

"No he hasn't." said Double Dee rather nervously, "He's been keeping it a secret. He plans to use Rolf's obsession with Lindsay to his advantage by tricking Rolf into thinking that Lindsay wishes to assimilate into his culture, when in fact she is repulsed by it. Eddy has been constructing disgusting gifts, and writing fake letters for Rolf to present to Lindsay in an attempt to disgust her and prevent her from antagonizing Lee out of fear of Rolf."

"Double Dee," said Marie in a serious tone, "You need to talk to Eddy and get him to stop immediately."

"Believe me," said Double Dee, "I have attempted on numerous occasions to convince Eddy to cease and desist from this plan from a moral standpoint. However, Eddy is convinced that this is the correct way to handle this situation, and my pleas have fallen on deaf ears."

Marie grabbed Double Dee's hand in hers, as she gazed into her boyfriends eyes with an expression of concern.

"Double Dee, you have to try harder," said Marie, "The last thing she would want is Eddy injecting himself into the fight. I said it before and I will say it again, Eddy has gained Lee's trust, something that nobody else outside of the Kanker family has. If Lee finds out that Eddy is attempting to go behind her back, that trust will be broken, along with their relationship. No matter what, we cannot let Lee find out that Eddy is doing this."

Marie paused for a moment as she returned her gaze to the television.

"Lee has a reason for going about this the way she is," said Marie, "Eddy has no idea that he is treading dangerous and sensitive water."

Double Dee placed his hand on Marie's shoulder.

"Marie," said Double Dee, "Pardon my asking, but would you perhaps be willing to further elaborate on this topic? I understand that you had referred to this information as 'dangerous' and 'sensitive', but perhaps with this knowledge I will be able to somehow convince Eddy to abstain from his efforts."

Marie stared at Double Dee for a few seconds, in what appeared to be a state of deep thought. Finally, she decided to reply; however, she had barely opened her mouth when the sound of Double Dee's doorbell chimes interrupted her thoughts.

"Now who could that possibly be?" asked Double Dee with a perplexed expression as he rose from the couch.

"It's probably the Christmas Carolers!" said Marie, "They were singing down in the business district today and I heard they were going door-to-door tonight."

"How wonderful!" said Double Dee, "A perfect display of unity and holiday cheer, delivered directly to the front door!"

"C'mon sweetie!" said Marie exuberantly as she rose from the couch and took Double Dee's hand, "Let's go listen!"

The couple ran excitedly towards the front of the house, holding hands the entire way, reaching the door in a matter of seconds. Double Dee placed his hand on the doorknob, and opened the door with a smile on his face expecting a joyful holiday melody to be waiting for him.

Double Dee and Marie were both surprised when they found themselves face-to-face with the doorbell ringers. Standing on Double Dee's stoop were Ed and May, both with nervous expressions on their faces. Strangely enough, the couple had arrived in a rather unique manner; Ed and May stood directly next to each other, so close in fact that their faces were pressed together. This was out of necessity rather than choice, as for whatever reason, the couple had decided to place an extra-large red hoodie over both of their bodies. The two lovable oafs shared the single neck hole, with the left sleeve being occupied by Ed's left arm, all four of their feet emerging out of the bottom. The right sleeve hung limp, as it was unoccupied by any body appendage.

All four teenagers stared at each other awkwardly for a few moments, at which point Double Dee decided to break the silence.

"Ed, May," said Double Dee, "What a surprise! I had thought that you two were spending the night working building the set for Lee's performance?"

Ed and May glanced at each other nervously, and then back towards Double Dee.

"Yeah we were," said Ed, "But then we had a little accident, and we knew you could help us."

"An accident," said Double Dee, "What kind of accident?"

"Umm..." said Ed as glanced towards the floor, his face blushing out of what seemed to be embarrassment. May decided to attempt an explanation upon seeing Ed fail at doing so.

"Uh...you see...eh," said May, struggling to get her words out as she too turned red with embarrassment.

At that point, Marie being the boisterous individual she was, decided to approach the couple.

"Jesus Christ May, just spit it out," said Marie, "You two obviously spilled paint or something on your clothes, judging by the sweater. It ain't no big deal you wuss, just let me see."

Marie reached for the bottom of the sweater, and grabbed a hold of the fringe in an attempt to yank it over the couples head.

"Wait, don't!" yelled May, pleading Marie not to remove the sweater. Her pleas however, were too little too late, as the large sweater was successfully yanked off and thrown onto Double Dee's red carpeted floor.

Double Dee and Marie's eyes widened at the now sweater-less couple, at which point the reason for them being so close together and their needing to cover themselves became apparent. Both teenagers were wearing their usual winter attire; however, while Ed's right hand hung towards the ground, his left hand and part of his left forearm was concealed by May's shirt, his hand clutched in the area of May's right breast.

Ed was not the only one caught in an embarrassing situation. May's right hand was currently stuffed down Ed's half unbuttoned jeans and well into his undergarments. Both teenagers stood in complete embarrassment as Double Dee and Marie gazed upon them with an appearance of shock.

"What the hell happened to youse?" asked Marie.

"Well," said May as she looked towards the ground, "We were working on the set. We just finished painting, and it was time to superglue the stockings we made to the top of the wood fireplace. We glued for a little while, but then we sort of...got distracted...and we accidentally superglued ourselves to...well, um...ourselves."

Marie, upon hearing May's story had to control herself from busting out in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Double Dee, while also finding the story somewhat amusing, had a much easier time preventing his laughter from escaping.

Ed's lower lip began to tremble.

"Please Double Dee," said Ed, "Help us get unstuck. I can't let my mom find out what we were doing in the basement or May won't be allowed over anymore!"

"Yeah!" said May, "If Daddy finds out, he'll kill me!"

Double Dee and Marie briefly glanced at each other, after which Double Dee turned back towards Ed.

"Very well Ed," said Double Dee, "Please come in and wait in the living room, I have a solvent that will counteract the adhesive qualities of the glue in the garage. It should have you two separated in seconds. I shall return shortly."

Double Dee made his way out of the living room, on his way to retrieve the solvent for the glue. Ed and May glanced at each other and shared a sigh of relief. They then turned towards Marie, who stood in the center of the room with her arms folded and a sly grin. She began giggling ever so slightly.

"Shut up Marie!" yelled May, "Like you ain't ever had an embarrassing accident before!"

"I'm sorry," said Marie, "You two just seem so innocent, I couldn't imagine that you two actually get freaky more than just a peck on the lips!"

Marie laughed heavily as Ed and May once again blushed, at which point Double Dee returned to the room with the solvent.

"Here it is," said Double Dee as he placed the liquid filled tube into Ed's free hand, "Apply a small amount around the adhered areas, wait five minutes, then SLOWLY separate the affected appendages."

"Thanks Double Dee you're a pal," said Ed, his face still red out of embarrassment.

"Yeah," said May, "You're a lifesaver."

Double Dee and Marie assisted Ed and May in placing the hoodie back over their bodies for their trip back to Ed's house. They bid the lovable goofballs goodbye, after which they returned to the den in silence to begin viewing their holiday special. Distracted from their previous conversation, the two adolescents took a seat on the couch, at which point they glanced at each other and simultaneously let out the heavy laughter they had worked so hard to keep inside in front of their friends.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

The weekend had come and gone, and Monday morning had once again cast it's presence on Peach Creek. It was 7:15 a.m., and the campus of Peach Creek high school seemed completely devoid of life. It would be another hour until the bell signaling the start of the school day sounded, and most of the student were still at home enjoying breakfast or attempting to finish a school assignment they had procrastinated on.

In contrast to the desolate atmosphere of the school corridors and classrooms, the gymnasium was was teeming with energy. The Peach Creek High School Cheer Squad currently occupied the large room; while Wednesday mornings were the typical day for cheer practice to take place, Lindsay Statorowski, the cheer captain, had ordered mandatory daily practice for the duration of the week. Due to the gym being reserved for other parties on every other morning starting at 7:15, Lindsay had decided to start cheer practice at 6:15 a.m on the off-days in an effort to de-conflict with other activities. This, of course, did not sit well with many of the members of the squad; however some persuasion, in the form of new top-of-the-line purses, was enough to change most of the girls minds.

While most of the girls were swayed by Lindsay's promises of material possessions, and her almost hypnotic manipulation and persuasion skills, Nazz was completely immune. While Nazz disapproved of Lindsay's "hostile takeover" of the cheer squad, she continued to participate out of her lifelong love for the activity, and the aerobic exercise it provided.

The team was currently arranged in a six by six grid of individuals, with Lindsay standing by her lonesome center stage in front of the group. The girls were performing various "pop and lock" dance maneuvers, in synch with a famous pop song by a certain blonde haired female singer popular in the 90's. As Lindsay performed the moves, her face donned various amorous and flirty expressions, such as winks and sultry smiles. While Lindsay took her role as cheer captain very seriously, she was far from the best dancer on the squad; her moves were very forced and non-fluid, a product of her inability to "loosen" up.

After a few seconds, the team shifted to an alternate formation at Lindsay's direction, which included a group of eight girls forming into two groups. Each of the four girls assumed a "prep" formation, in which three of the girls attempted to lift the fourth girl into the air, with her feet resting at chin length of the girls on the ground.

Nazz happened to be assigned as one of the girls performing the lift. Due to this being a new part of the routine, Nazz and a few of the other girls had trouble with the timing due to a lack of practice. This caused significant synchronization issues with the music, a fact that did not appeal to Lindsay in the slightest. The blonde haired diva glanced towards the girl operating the stereo system, and made a cross with her right forearm and left hand, a common signal for "time out". The girl promptly stopped the music, at which point Lindsay turned towards the group of girls.

"C'mon people we've got to get this air tight!" yelled Lindsay as she slapped her hands together, "Plunkett, Morgan, van Bartonschmeer, front and center right now. We're going to try it again, and we're going to get it right!"

Upon completion of Lindsay's previous sentence, the two girls referred to as "Plunkett" and "Morgan" ran to the center of the gymnasium, as if they were military recruits responding to a drill sergeant, and assumed the position to carry out their stunt. In contrast, Nazz walked at her standard pace, her face displaying an expression of annoyance, eventually reaching the girls a few seconds later.

"Alright let's go," said Lindsay, as she positioned her hands for clapping, "And one and two and..."

Lindsay continued clapping in a steady rhythm, as the girls began positioning themselves for the lift, attempting to synchronize to the beat. While the other two girls were trying their best to accomplish the lift successfully, out of fear of Lindsay, Nazz, who had become quite fed up with Lindsay's derogatory remarks, decided to intentionally sabotage the routine just to spite the girl. Just as she and Plunkett began to lift Morgan, Nazz suddenly ceased elevating her hands, causing a force imbalance. The result was Morgan plummeting onto the gym mat, ruining the routine.

"That was pathetic!" yelled Lindsay, "You girls call yourselves cheer leaders!? You can't even get through a simple prep."

Lindsay glanced up towards the large, wall-mounted clock, currently indicating 7:15 a.m.

"You're lucky the gymnastics team has to use the gym," said Lindsay, "We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow 6:15 sharp. Don't be late or you're off the team."

With that, Lindsay dismissed the girls to the locker room to exchange their cheer uniforms for their ordinary school clothes. One by one, each of the girls shuttled through the single door, and made their way to their lockers to retrieve their belongings.

Nazz, quite annoyed with the new atmosphere of the cheer squad, was one of the first to reach her locker. She unlocked the single combination lock, and flung the door open with force, causing Kevin's football portrait to detach from it's taped on position on the inside of the door.

Nazz had barely completed the process of removing her shirt, when she felt a presence standing next to her. She turned her head to the left, and gazed up slightly, locking eyes with the person she had no desire to see unless it was within the bounds of cheer practice.

"Van Bartonshmeer," said Lindsay, "I saw what you did out there, and I didn't like it. Do you think I'm some kind of an idiot?"

Nazz sat down on the locker room bench to begin untying her sneakers.

"Oh I'm sorry Lindsay," said Nazz sarcastically, "I must have just slipped up, better luck next time I guess."

"For your sake, luck better be on your side next time," said Lindsay, "Just cause you got looks somewhat comparable to me, and the fact that you're dating the captain of the junior varsity football team doesn't make you queen of the castle."

"Right," said Nazz, "I'll keep that in mind."

Nazz paused, after which she decided to pose a question to Lindsay.

"By the way," said Nazz, "Since you're queen of the castle, what's up with this new routine? I mean it doesn't even fit with any of the other stuff we do for the basketball team. And what's with the sudden need to practice everyday so early in the morning? It' s taking a huge toll on all the girls and it's seriously uncool."

"Hey," said Lindsay rather aggressively, "If the girls feel that way, they can tell me themselves. It seems like you're the only one who has a problem with it."

"No," said Nazz, "I'm just the only one you can't play puppet master with."

"Oh Hun don't be jealous that everyone loves me," said Lindsay as she flipped her hair, and opened her makeup mirror "I know it's quite a hard pill to swallow for someone of your social status."

"Yeah," said Nazz, "It's easy to buy love isn't it? I mean, like haven't you ever tried to just be nice to someone and actually make a true friend?"

Lindsay's face suddenly transformed into one of anger as she slammed her makeup mirror shut.

"Listen you little pixie-haired bimbo," said Lindsay in an aggressive tone as she pointed her finger into Nazz's face, "You really need to learn to stay in your place, and mind your own business."

Lindsay paused for a few moments, her calm resolve returning, after which she decided to continue her lecture.

"Here's the deal Van Bartonschmeer," said Lindsay, "The only thing you need to do if you want to keep your place on this cheer squad is to deliver perfection for me on Wednesday night."

Nazz pondered Lindsay's words for a few seconds, after which she finally realized what Lindsay meant by the words Wednesday night.

"Now it all makes sense," said Nazz, "These new routines, and practice everyday. You're using the cheer squad as your act in the talent show, aren't you?"

"Bingo," said Lindsay with a smirk, "The audience gets to vote for the winner, and this routine, along with the fact that everyone who really matters loves me, will be my ticket to the trophy. This will teach that red-haired, four-eyed, nerdy freak not to mess with Lindsay Statorowski."

At that point, Nazz had finally completed the process of changing back into her ordinary clothes. She placed her cheer outfit into her gym bag and closed the door to her locker.

"Lindsay," said Nazz as she turned towards the tall, slim teenager, "You do realize that Lee is my best friends sister, don't you?"

"Yeah," said Lindsay, "So?"

"So if you had any kind of moral compass whatsoever, you'd realize that there's no way I'm going to help compete against her." said Nazz.

"If you value the privilege of being on the squad, and your somewhat unworthy social status within the freshman class, you'd be wise to rethink that." said Lindsay.

"Well consider this my resignation," said Nazz as she turned away from Lindsay and began walking towards the locker room door.

"Fine go!" said Lindsay, "Anyone who wants anything to do with that geek girl Annalee Kankersore isn't worth my time anyway."

Nazz calmly exited the gym locker room, as Lindsay angrily stormed toward the solitary toilet stall placed in the corner of the gym locker room where, as per usual, she would change in and out of her uniform in private.


	27. Chapter 27

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello Everyone,_

 _Just wanted to wish everyone reading a happy and healthy New Year. May all of your resolutions be fulfilled, and all of your goals achieved._

 _Without further ado...Chapter 27_

 **Chapter 27**

Forty five minutes had passed since Lindsay declared cheer practice to be over. The halls of Peach Creek High were now filled with students, exchanging books at their lockers, and fraternizing with their friends.

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the school corridor, the first floor boys bathroom, located a few doors down from the Ed boys homeroom, was quite tranquil. The large wooden door muffled the noise of the students passing through the corridor on the other side; the white subway tiled walls acted as a resonance chamber, causing any occupants voices to echo.

Currently, the restroom had only two occupants, Eddy and Rolf. Rolf was currently dressed in a three piece suit and,while the intent was for Rolf to look presentable, Eddy's influence had in fact caused the opposite effect. The suit jacket was brown in color, and had several tears in the area of the sleeves. The undershirt was a bright, neon green color and was accented by a yellow tie. The pants were purple in color, and were complimented by a pair of red and white bowling shoes. The entire outfit appeared to be really old and unwashed, and was a complete eye sore.

The boys stood in front of the bathroom mirror, with Rolf leaning over the sink with a smile, as Eddy opened a can of sardines he had retrieved from his kitchen cabinet.

"Alright Rolfie Boy," said Eddy, "We got ya looking sharp, now let's get ya smelling fresh!"

Eddy removed the lid to the sardine can, and dipped his hand in the juice. He slapped it across Rolf's face, as if it were aftershave. He then dipped a tooth brush into the fish scraps, and shoved the brush into Rolf's mouth, ensuring that he scrubbed every nook and cranny of the foreign adolescents oral cavity.

"How's it feel Dapper Dan!" said Eddy with a smile.

Rolf turned towards Eddy.

"Ed boy!" said Rolf, "Rolf cannot describe how grateful he is for all of your assistance in familiarizing Rolf with your local customs!"

Eddy was extremely taken aback, as the smell of Rolf's overwhelming and disgusting breath contacted his nose as he spoke. A few seconds passed, after which Eddy recovered.

"Perfect," said Eddy quietly, "This will surely gross out that prissy bimbo enough to keep her away from us permanently."

"What was that you say Ed boy?" asked Rolf.

"I said you're the life of the party Rolfie boy!" said Eddy, as he placed his arm around Rolf's shoulder, "With these duds, you'll have Lindsay begging to be your...Schmet...whatever you want to call her."

"Thank you Eddy," said Rolf, "Rolf must be going, as he must stop at his locker to retrieve his educational supplies."

"Wait Rolf," said Eddy, "Don't forget your hat!"

Eddy reached into a gym bag located on the floor by his feet and removed a large fish head. He opened the fishes mouth and placed it on top of Rolf's head, it's juices dripping down his cheeks. Rolf smiled.

"Ho ho, the Salmon of Schnitz," said Rolf, "How could Rolf forget!"

"Knock em' dead Rolfie boy!" yelled Eddy as he pushed Rolf towards the door.

It just so happened that, at the same time that Rolf had reached the bathroom door, Double Dee and Marie were walking down the hallway towards homeroom, holding hands as they conversed happily. As the couple approached to the door to the boys room, Rolf emerged, and proceeded to skip down the hallway, humming to himself as the fish he wore on his head leaked fluids. Double Dee and Marie watched with confusion and disgust as the boy disappeared around the corner, at which point Eddy emerged from the bathroom chuckling to himself.

"Eddy?" said Double Dee, his unexpected presence causing the stout adolescent to jump in surprise.

"Oh hey Sockhead, whats up?" said Eddy as he leaned against the wall adjacent to the girls bathroom door, "Just helping Rolf dress for good luck for the science test today."

Eddy winked towards his intelligent best friend, having no idea that Marie had already been informed of his plan in secret.

Marie discretely nudged Double Dee in the ribs, causing him to glance down towards her face. Her eyes were filled with concern, as she nodded her head towards Eddy, signaling her boyfriend to attempt to persuade Eddy to stop once again.

Double Dee slowly but surely walked towards Eddy, raising his index finger in the air in preparation to deliver yet another morality based soliloquy to his short best friend. However just as Double Dee was about to enunciate his first word, the door to the girls bathroom door flung open with force. Unfortunately, due to Eddy's position, the stout teenager found himself caught between the door and the adjacent wall, which caused him to be crushed between the two when the door reached it's fully open position.

The individual responsible for opening the door happened to be Nazz. She emerged from the bathroom carrying her backpack, her face displaying an annoyed expression as she stomped rather angrily out into the hallway. As she made her way into the hallway, the spring loaded device used to automatically close the door began to perform it's duty, revealing Eddy literally plastered to the wall with a dazed look on his face.

Marie took notice of Nazz's irritated demeanor, unusual for the plucky girl, and decided to engage her in conversation.

"Hey girl," said Marie with a smile, "It's not like you to be in Ksipta, what's going on?"

Nazz sighed as she turned toward Marie.

"I quit the cheer squad." said Nazz

"Quit the cheer squad?" asked Marie with surprise, "You love cheer, what the hell happened?"

"I do love cheer," said Nazz, "I just can't stand the new management anymore."

"Oh yeah, I forgot," said Marie, "Lindsay's large and in charge of that operation now, and you do have to be a little nuts to want to be involved in anything when she's the boss."

"I just can't stand it," said Nazz as she began pacing back and forth, "First, she used new designer handbags to buy the love of all the girls on the team, which of course got her elected to captain. Second, she changed all the uniforms from sleeveless to long sleeve, regardless of the season, just because she never wants to wear short sleeves for whatever reason. Then, to top it all off, she started talking down to us like we're stupid and have no idea what we're doing, but she isn't even that good at dancing herself."

"Sounds like the Lindsay I know," said Marie with a hint of sarcasm.

"Just a heads up," said Nazz as she turned towards Marie, "Lindsay's planning to use the cheer squad, and this new crazy routine she made up, as her act for the talent show on Wednesday night. That's why I quit, I'm not going against my true friends for that mean girl wannabe, that would be so uncool."

"Nazz, you're awesome," said Marie as she placed her hand on Nazz's shoulder, "I know how much cheer means to you. Don't worry, Lee's going to show that bitch what it means to be a dancer when she takes the stage Wednesday night."

Nazz smiled at Marie's statement, as did Double Dee. At that point Double Dee turned towards his attention towards Eddy, who had finally recovered from his collision with the door. The short boy was currently dusting off his jeans.

"So Eddy," asked Double Dee, "How are you and Lee progressing with your ballet routine?"

"Same old, same old," said Eddy as he approached Double Dee, "Just two more days till showtime, then it's all over."

"I'm glad to see your unbridled enthusiasm to perform has not wavered in the slightest," said Double Dee sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm just glad that Lee scared Kevin enough to stop him from blabbing about me wearing tights to the whole freshman class." said Eddy, "At least I don't have to face the humiliation of everyone showing up and laughing at me that night."

At that moment, the loud, booming oafish voice of Ed rang through the hallway.

"Extra Extra read all about it!" yelled Ed as he rounded the corner, and promptly ran up to the group of four.

The goofy Ed boy was smiling as he leaned backward, flailing his upper body like a flag characteristic of his running stance. May, of course, was running towards the group along with her boyfriend, her face adorned with a wide smile, as she held a copy of the newest issue of the school newspaper under her arm. Finally, traveling a few paces behind them, was the tall, slim figure of Lee. She rounded the corner and approached her friends at a much slower, less exuberant pace. Her eyes were somewhat obscured behind the lenses of her black rimmed glasses, due to reflections from the hallways fluorescent lighting. Her face displayed the typical cynical expression characteristic of the young lady, as she made her way towards her friends at walking pace, her high heels clicking loudly on the marble floor.

"Whoah there Lumpy!" said Eddy, "What's got you two goofballs so spun up?"

"Didn't you see the Weekly Whiner?" asked May as she grabbed the school newspaper with her now bandaged right hand. She held the front page of the paper with both of her hands, her arms outstretched towards Eddy's face.

"The holiday talent show is the front page feature, and they listed all of the performing acts." yelled May excitedly, "Ya'll are celebrities!"

"What!" yelled Eddy in a distressed intonation, "Let me see that!"

Eddy snatched the newspaper out of May's hand, and repositioned it to view the front page. Double Dee, Marie, and Nazz all positioned themselves to read the article over Eddy's shoulder. No sooner than the short Ed boy laid eyes on the text, did he began reading out loud.

"Holiday Talent Show to Kick Off Wednesday Night. As everyone knows, the Christmas season would not be complete without the Peach Creek High Holi..yada yada yada..."

Eddy's eyes scanned down the page for a few seconds, eventually finding the information he was searching for.

"List of Acts...Lilly performs Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Darryl reads an original Christmas Poem, KiltedEngineer to perform Holiday Suite on the Bagpipes..."

Eddy silently searched for a few more minutes, at which point his eyes widened.

"Annalee Kanker and Edgar Skipper McGee to perform select dances from the Nutcracker, the famous ballet by Teachovski!"

"Tchaikovsky, Eddy," said Double Dee correcting his friend.

Eddy ignored Double Dee's correction, continuing to stare at the words as he ground his teeth. His grip on the newspaper tightened, as his face began to turn red with anger.

A few seconds passed, at which point Lee suddenly snatched the newspaper out of Eddy's hand.

"Alright, alright," said Lee, "We already know what we're doin'. The question is, what is Little Miss Bimborowski planning."

Lee adjusted her glasses, after which she quickly scanned the page. It didn't take long for her to find the information she was looking for.

"And featuring a special surprise appearance by Lindsay and the Lindsettes." said Lee sarcastically, "Huh, 'special surprise appearance' I wonder how many of the newspaper editors she blew to get that bold statement in there."

Lee tossed the newspaper on the ground, after which she repositioned herself next to Eddy.

"Well Nazz just enlightened us on what that special surprise actually is," said Marie, "It's just one of Lindsay's stupid cheer routines. She's planning on using the whole cheer squad to win everyone over."

"Huh," said Lee, "Typical of the dumb broad. Buy everyones friendship, and use them to mask the fact that she sucks at everything she does. If that's all she's got, I got this in the bag."

Lee leaned down towards Eddy, reached toward his cheek, and pinched it with her long blue fingernails.

"I don't need no fancy schmancy stunts or fake friends," said Lee, "With my little cutie by my side, I've got everything I need to win. He's been working so hard for me, he's the best boyfriend in the world."

Lee kissed Eddy on the cheek in a long drawn out manner, after which she flipped her hair behind her shoulder. She glanced towards May with an amorous expression.

"So May," asked Lee, "How's our set coming along? I heard from a reliable source that you're quite 'handy', so I'm sure it's turning out great."

Lee giggled amorously after she completed her statement. As Lee delivered the word "handy", she made a hand motion similar to one rolling dice; an obvious allusion to the act that May was participating in when she and Ed wound up stuck together. It took a few seconds for the connotation to register with May, after which her face turned red. She whipped around towards Marie.

"Marie!" yelled May in a long, drawn out manner, "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone about that!"

"Sorry May," said Marie as she giggled, "I couldn't help it, it's just too funny. Besides, how were you supposed to explain that bandage on your hand you nimrod?"

"You could have just told her I cut myself by mistake like I told Mommy and Daddy!" yelled May.

As the two sisters continued going back and forth, the three Ed boys remained in their positions. Double Dee observed the argument with a neutral expression, while Ed rubbed the back of his head as he glanced toward the floor out of embarrassment. Eddy remained deep in his own thought, his teeth clenched as he stared down the hallway with an angry glare.

Finally, Lee decided to once again play the mediator to her little sisters.

"Alright, whatever!" yelled Lee as she stepped between her two sister, attempting to end the argument, "I don't care who get's it on with who, as long as it doesn't get in the way of my plans."

"Cool your jets Lee," said May, "We're almost done. We just got a little bit of touch up paint to do. We'll be done by tomorrow night, right Ed?"

Ed swiftly moved towards Lee.

"Have no fear Lee," said Ed in an enthusiastic tone, "You can absolutely count on us, I promise your set will be done faster than you can say Supercalifragiliciousexpititosis."

At that moment, Ed reached his hand towards Lee, his pinky outstretched as he smiled dopily.

"I offer you the pinky promise,"said Ed, "Once we lock fingers, schoolyard rules say I cannot go back on my word. That's how serious I am."

At that moment, May's eyes widened as the smile disappeared from her face. At the same time, Marie bit her lower lip as if she was nervous. Ed was acting upon his unbridled innocence; however Lee seemed less than entertained with his offer. While the cynical Lee often reacted to childish antics with simple ignorance and no emotion whatsoever, Ed's offer seemed to illicit a difference reaction. Her blue eyes began to appear glassy, her eyes themselves becoming just as reflective as the lenses of her glasses.

"There's no time for that!" said Marie as she suddenly jogged towards Lee, grabbing her left hand in hers, "I just remembered, we forgot to stop at our lockers to get our books, and we only have five minutes until homeroom. See ya in class boys!"

Marie practically drug Lee to the end of the hallway, and around the corner, with May following closely. The Ed boys remained in their positions, with Ed somewhat confused at the events that just unfolded, and Double Dee slightly perplexed.

"Interesting..." said Double Dee under his breath as he placed his hand on his chin.

Double Dee thoughts were immediately broken, for as soon as the girls were out of sight, Eddy's face turned a bright hue of red. This was followed by an extremely loud, drawn out scream, with the volume of what seemed to be a train horn. As Eddy screamed, he grabbed the school newspaper in his hand, and proceeded to tear the paper to shreds. The display somewhat frightened the other two Ed boys, who stood watching the display with expressions of extreme concern.

Eddy finished tearing up the paper, after which he stood still for a few seconds breathing heavily.

"How...in the hell...did the school newspaper get my FULL NAME!" yelled Eddy.

"Well Eddy," said Double Dee, "I know from working on the Tattler back in middle school that the newspaper often retrieves student information directly from the identification registry. They must have reported your information based upon your student ID."

Eddy groaned.

"And that's just the beginning of my problems!" yelled Eddy, "Now the whole damn school is gonna know that I'll be prancing around on stage in tights Wednesday night. I'll be the laughing stock of Peach Creek High!"

"Calm down Eddy," said Double Dee, "I'm sure that the student body will..."

Unbeknownst to the Ed's, they were currently not alone in the school corridor. As Double Dee began his lengthy, morality based speech, it just so happened that Lindsay was traveling down the cross hall on her way to homeroom. As she came to the intersection, her ears detected the Ed boys voices. Accordingly, she decided to duck behind the corner wall attempting to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Eddy I beg of you," said Double Dee, "Please calm your nerves and attempt to look on the proverbial bright side!"

"Listen Sockhead," yelled Eddy, "I've been being held hostage against my will for the last few weeks, all because of this stupid kiddie stuff that Lee can't get over. First I'm forced to spend my earned money to take her to this stupid dance, then she forces me to get involved with this dumb talent show. Geez, I'm even spending any little free time I have doing everything I can to get Rolf to gross Lindsay out enough to leave Lee alone!"

"Hello," whispered Lindsay to herself, as she adopted a sly grin.

"I hate to say it Double Dee," said Eddy, "But is it worth it anymore?"

"Eddy, you can't possibly?" asked Double Dee.

"I don't know Sockhead," said Eddy, "I don't know."

Eddy began walking down the hallway, his head facing towards the ground. Double Dee and Ed briefly shared a somber expression, after which they jogged to catch up with their friend.

Lindsay observed the boys as they walked away from her position, eventually disappearing around the corner leading to the opposite cross hall.

"The scales are tipping in my favor," said Lindsay as she rubbed her hands together, "Perhaps one final push is all they need to tip them over."

Following the completion of her statement, Lindsay continued on her way down the hallway towards her original destination, cackling like a witch.


	28. Chapter 28

**Authors Note:**

This chapter consists almost entirely of an extended flashback sequence, narrated by Marie. I have implemented a format in which Marie's "narration" is written in regular text, while the events and dialogue in the "flashback" are written in italics. I hope the effect works.

Without further ado, here we go.

 **Chapter 28**

The school day had come and gone rather quickly. The students of Peach Creek High had rushed home at a much faster pace than usual, as the temperature was expected to fall as the afternoon progressed. While the temperature throughout the day was in the teens, the weather report called for temperatures to drop even further into the single digits during the twilight hours.

While most of the residents of the cul-de-sac had escaped the bitter chill by taking refuge within their family dwellings, Double Dee and Marie had decided to spend their evening away from the monotony of the cul-de-sac.

In the last few months, the Kanker-Longergan family had decided to began attending church together once again. In an effort to rekindle old friendships, Tabby and Rod sought out their old priest, Father Archie Sevino, who had baptized, and delivered first communion to all three of the Kanker girls. Luckily, they were able to locate their good friend, and had discovered that he had relocated to a church on the outskirts on the city, just 20 minutes from their house in Peach Creek. Since discovering the whereabouts of Father Sevino, the family had been attending his church every Sunday morning for mass, as well as all religious holidays. In addition, the church served as the location for Tabby and Rods long overdue wedding.

Earlier in the day, Marie had invited Double Dee to attend five o' clock mass at her church, allowing her to introduce him to Father Sevino; this would be followed by a dinner date at a diner a few blocks away from the church where the family frequently ate lunch after Sunday service.

The two adolescents were currently seated at one of the 1950's themed booths peppered across the diner floor, with Marie sitting across from Double Dee. The two teenagers had ordered and received their beverages, a soda for Marie, and a glass of water for Double Dee and were currently studying their menus.

"This chicken Parmesan entree looks quite impressive," said Double Dee as he viewed the selection on the menu, "It's been a while since I have enjoyed Italian cuisine, so I believe that is what I will decide to order."

"Excellent choice!" said Marie, "This place has breakfast all day, so I think I'm going to order the two eggs, bacon and toast option. There's really no wrong answer, I've had everything on the menu at least twice and it's all equally delicious."

Marie placed her menu down on the table and took a sip of her soda through the straw. Double Dee followed suit, taking a sip out of his glass as well, after which he decided to continue the conversation.

"I must say, it was very much a pleasure to be introduced to Father Sevino." said Double Dee, "I've heard so much about him through the stories you've told me, and he most certainly is the amiable, witty character you have portrayed him to be."

"I'm glad you liked him," said Marie, "He's really chill, and I can tell he really liked you too. He's not like the other uptight priests I used to know back in the city. He has a way of giving great advice through the word of God, and entertaining you with a good joke at the same time."

"As you know by now, I was not raised with religion," said Double Dee, "But even though I am not part of your church or the Catholic faith, I felt as though I was part of your extended family when speaking to Father Sevino, a testament to his great character."

Marie smiled at Double Dee's words, at which point the waitress returned to the table to collect the couples orders, as well as deliver a complimentary helping of the restaurants signature appetizer; fried pickles. The teenagers requested their dishes, after which the waitress collected their menus, and placed their orders into the system.

While Double Dee was hesitant about trying the fried pickles at first, a small amount of persuasion from Marie was enough to get him to take the first bite, after which he was completely hooked. As Double Dee and Marie enjoyed their appetizer in silence for a few moments, Double Dee's mind began to wander; he pondered several strange reactions he had witnessed from his friends over the previous few days, as well as Marie's sudden escort of Lee away from the group earlier in the day. At that moment, he suddenly realized that Marie was never able to get around to delivering the information that could possibly convince Eddy to cease from his plan to antagonize Lindsay, due to being distracted by Ed and Mays oafish antics. The intelligent boy had decided that it was time to pose an important question to his black-haired girlfriend.

"Marie," asked Double Dee, "Pardon my curiosity and the up front nature of this question but, what's really going on with all of this fighting over the Winter Ball Crown?"

Marie stopped chewing the fried pickle she had just placed in her mouth, as her eyes slowly trained upwards until they met Double Dees. The upbeat smile that had adorned her face had vanished, replaced by a concerned expression.

"I do not mean to sound as though I am putting on airs, so to speak, but I am quite the keen observer," said Double Dee, "I have witnessed several un-ordinary reactions from you and your sisters over seemingly minor issues over the last week. In addition, in recent conversations, including the one we were engaged in yesterday prior to Ed and Mays arrival, you have been behaving in a rather mysterious and nervous manner. On top of that, on several occasions, you have mentioned that there is more to this story than a 'childhood grudge', and that Eddy is treading 'dangerous emotional water'"

Marie remained silent, fixated on her boyfriends eyes for a few moments, at which point Double Dee reached across the table and grabbed her hand in hers.

"Marie," said Double Dee calmly, "The time for secrets is over. Based upon conversations that occurred earlier today, I am afraid that Eddy may be seriously contemplating ending his relationship with Lee over his forced involvement in this fight."

Marie's eyes widened at Double Dees words as she squeezed his hand in hers, still electing to remain silent.

"If there is something you know that can help," said Double Dee, "Now is the time."

Marie slowly closed her eyes, and emitted a long drawn out sigh as she lowered her chin to her chest.

"Damn you and that curious, observant nature of yours," said Marie with a slight chuckle, after which she lifted her head to make eye contact with Double Dee once again, "You are right in your assumption, there is much more to this story than meets the eye, and I will tell you everything if you make two simple promises."

"Sure Marie," said Double Dee, "What may those promises be?"

"First, this between you and me only," said Marie, "This information is really sensitive to Lee's emotional state, and if she found out that I gave it to somebody outside of the family, I have no idea how she would react. This is for your information only."

"You have my word." said Double Dee as he raised his right hand into position similar to one taken by those swearing on a bible within a courtroom.

"Okay," said Marie, "Condition two. No matter how you feel, no matter what you think is the right thing to do...do not try to play the hero."

Double Dee's face adopted a perplexed expression as he nodded his head in agreement.

"Okay," said Marie, "Remember how I told you on several occasions that Eddy is the only person outside of our family that I've seen Lee show any kind of emotional trust?"

"Absolutely," said Double Dee.

"Well, you may or may not believe it," said Marie, "But there was another."

Before Double Dee could respond with another question, Marie began telling her long overdue story:

"I can clearly remember the first time they met. It was a warm, sunny fall day, our first day of Kindergarten in fact. Remember, my mother delayed me and Lee from starting to keep us all in the same grade, so we were all started on the same day. Now keep in mind, we weren't by any means the boisterous trio you met for the first time in the swamp two summers ago. We had a somewhat sheltered upbringing under our Poppy, who tried to protect us from the horrendous reality of the neighborhood we grew up in, so we were all relatively shy and scared. Thankfully, we could always count on Lee to be our leader. I could tell she was just as scared as we were, seeing all of the new faces, but she made it a priority to stay strong and make the best of the situation for our sake. Anyway, we happened to be sitting on the jungle gym, talking amongst ourselves about the strange new surroundings...

 _The medium sized schoolyard, consisting of blacktop peppered with benches, teeter totters, and other classic playground fixtures was abuzz with small children, most of whom were running around playing tag, duck duck goose, and other school yard games. As most of the students carried on amongst themselves, easily making new friends, a trio of three sisters sat on top of the jungle gym by their lonesome. One girl, Annalee Kanker wore a frilly green dress, with a matching headband, beautifully complimenting her red, silky smooth curls. Her freckles were quite prominent against her fair skin. Due to the bright rays of the sun, her blue eyes glistened from behind her somewhat oversized black rimmed glasses, the nose piece of which was held together with masking tape due to an earlier accident. A second girl, Annemarie Kanker, sat next to her, her oval shaped face adorned with a slight scowl as her two black pigtails, secured by pink bows, waved in the cool autumn breeze. This particular girl was dressed in pink and also had freckles; however her most distinguishing feature was her severely exotropic right eye. Finally, a third girl, Annamae Kanker, who was somewhat smaller than the other two, occupied the remaining available space on top of the playground fixture. Her blonde hair was parted into two ponytails, secured by blue bows that matched her dress._

 _The three girls observed the antics of the other children, who all seemed to be quite happy socializing with the other students, at which point Annemarie decided to begin a conversation._

 _"So much for making a whole bunch of new friends like the teacher said," said Annemarie, rather unhappily, "Everybody's found somebody to play with, and nobody wants to talk to us."_

 _"Don't worry Annemarie," said Annalee in a calm, motherly voice, delivered in the intonation of small child, "It's only been two hours since we got here. Besides, these kids might already know each other from playing together in pre-school. I don't think it's abnormal to be afraid to talk to new people."_

 _"Yeah," said Annamae, "Remember what you and Poppy always tell us, don't ever talk to strangers."_

 _"Yes, Annamae that's right," said Annalee, "But that is predominantly for strange adults that we may see while we are walking to the store or to school. In this case, talking to strangers may actually help us get to know people."_

 _"So why are we just sitting here on the jungle gym talking instead of playing?" asked Annemarie in a slightly sarcastic tone._

 _"Because it's scawy!" said Annamae in a rather alarmed tone, her speech impediment rather prominent, "What if they don't like us?"_

 _"Don't be silly!" said Annalee, "What's not to like about you two? There's got to be other kids in the playground that are a little scared just like us. I mean, this is a brand new place and it is kind of scary. Let's try to find someone and cheer them up."_

 _A few seconds passed at which point Annemarie took notice of an individual that fit Annalee's description._

 _"What about her, she looks lonely." said Annemarie as she pointed her index finger across the playground._

 _Annalee turned her head towards the general direction indicated by Marie's finger. Around thirty feet from the jungle gym was a small playground bench, adapted for the use of children. On this bench sat a lone female child. Her blonde hair hung well past her shoulders, ending in loose curls around the area of her waste; a blue head band separated the front portion into bangs hanging down to her eyebrows. Mounted on the headband was a rather over-sized blue bow, hanging slightly off center from the top of the individuals head. Large golden hooped earrings dangled from her ears, standing out against the maroon color of her designer coat, which appeared to be quite expensive. Her legs were covered by a pair of blue jeans, and she wore a pair of brown high top flat boots on her feet. The girls blue eyes were currently focused on her hands, which were folded on top of her lap, as her feet dangled from the bench towards the ground._

 _"See what did I tell you," said Annalee, "She looks just as scared and lonely as we are."_

 _At that point, Annalee began descending the ladder at the end of the jungle gym._

 _"Annalee, where are you going?" asked Annemarie._

 _"I'm going to go talk to her," said Annalee, glancing up towards her sisters with a smile, "What could it hurt? I'll be right back!"_

 _The two girls watched as their older sister briskly made her way towards the playground bench, intent on fraternizing with the little blonde girl. Within seconds, Annalee had made it over to the bench and promptly lifted herself up to a seated position a few feet away from the girl. She twiddled her thumbs for a few seconds, after which she turned her face towards the girl and smiled._

 _"Hello," said Annalee._

 _The girl turned toward Annalee, her face displaying a somewhat nervous expression._

 _"Hi," said the girl._

 _"My name's Annalee," said Annalee, "What's your name?"_

 _The girl paused for a few seconds, appearing to contemplate heavily prior to responding._

 _"Lindsay," said the girl._

 _"Lizzy?'" asked Annalee, misunderstanding Lindsay due to her somewhat soft spoken voice._

 _"No, it's pronounced Lin-see," said Lindsay, as she cracked a smile "But Lizzy sounds cooler so you can call me that if you want."_

 _"Okay, that will be my special name for you," said Lee._

 _The two girls giggled._

 _"Hold on, I can't call you Annalee," said Lindsay with a smile, "You need a special name too."_

 _Annalee thought for a few seconds after she decided on a nickname._

 _"How about LeeLee," said Annalee, "That way both our names start with 'L' and are both di-syllabic."_

 _"That's okay with me LeeLee," said Lindsay, after which she chuckled, "But what does di-syllabic mean?"_

 _"It means a word that has two syllables!" said Annalee, after which she clapped her hands while saying both words syllabically to demonstrate._

 _"Wow," said Lindsay, "You're really smart! You must be able to read big people books already."_

 _"Thanks," said Annalee as she blushed slightly. At that point, Annalee took notice of Lindsay's nicely pressed coat as well as her perfectly manicured nails._

 _"_ _That coat is beautiful!_ _," said Annalee, "And your nails look like a movie stars!"_

 _"Thanks," said Lindsay, "I did my nails myself."_

 _"Really?" asked Annalee surprised._

 _"Yep," said Lindsay, "Maybe I can show you how to do it sometime."_

 _"Sure, I'd like that," said Annalee, "But first, how about I introduce you to my sisters, and then we can play on the teeter totter."_

 _Lindsay's face turned to a frown._

 _"I would like to play on the teeter totter, but I can't play rough because I'll get my coat dirty." said Lindsay._

 _"You can take it off while you play," said Annalee, "We can hang it on the coat rack near the door to the school."_

 _Lindsay continued to appear apprehensive, at which point Lee stood up off of the bench_

 _"C'mon," said Annalee, "What's the fun in just sitting around in the sun? We got a whole playground to enjoy. Let's get that coat off and go play, it will be fine."_

 _At that point, Annalee raised her right hand towards Lindsay, keeping the pinky finger outstretched._

 _"I promise." said Annalee with a smile._

 _Lindsay looked up into Annalee's eyes, which were currently carrying an air of sincerity, and couldn't help but smile. She slowly but surely raised her right hand in the air, and interlocked her pinky with Annalee's, accepting her schoolyard promise._

 _Both girls shared a smile, after which Annalee grabbed Lindsay's hand, leading her toward the area of the coat racks._

They played on the teeter totter for the rest of recess, laughing and smiling the entire time. They played together everyday at recess, sat together during story time, and were craft partners during coloring time. As different as they were, personality wise, they were inseparable. It was like they were meant to be sisters. They were true best friends, and had each others complete trust.

As the weeks passed, their friendship only grew stronger.

 _It was "coloring time" in the Kindergarten classroom. All of the students were seated around several circular tables, each having the capacity for four individuals. At one particular table, sat the three Kanker girls and Lindsay, currently working on an art project using white construction paper and crayons. D_ _ue to a shortage of school coloring supplies, the students were asked to share supplies amongst groups of two; accordingly Lee had partnered with Lindsay, and Marie had partnered with May._

 _As Lee and Lindsay cooperated on their project, Lindsay decided to engage Lee in a conversation._

 _"LeeLee," asked Lindsay, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"_

 _Lee completed the process of exchanging her red crayon for green one, prior to responding._

 _"A teacher," said Lee, "I've always liked helping my little sisters learn to read, do arithmetic, and basically anything else there is to know. I also love learning, and passing on that knowledge to other people."_

 _"You'll make a great teacher!" said Lindsay._

 _"How about you, what do want to be?" asked Lee._

 _Lindsay paused momentarily, as a somewhat nervous expression appeared on her face._

 _"I want be a business woman, an executive of my own corporation," said Lindsay, "My dad is an engineer. He used to take me to work with him sometimes, and he would let me help his accountants file their papers. He even had a desk set up for me in his office, and my own calculator. I really loved counting the play money from the set he gave me, he said I was really good at it and 'a natural'. He would take me into meetings with him just to watch. He is really smart, speaks really well, and makes a lot of people happy with the things that he makes. I want to be just like him."_

 _At that point, Lindsay developed a melancholy demeanor._

 _"But..eh...my mom, doesn't think it's a good idea for me to be an executive." said Lindsay, "She told me that it's not what little girls should be doing, and I should stay focused on keeping my hair and nails nice. Ever since then, she's been telling my dad that she wants to spend time with me so he hasn't taken me to work with him."_

 _Lindsay paused_

 _"I've always liked doing my nails, hair and fashion, but I don't want that to be everything. I'd rather have a job where I can go to work dressed up, work with money, and convince people to buy stuff." said Lindsay._

 _"Hey, if that's what you like to do, that's what you should be!" said Lee, "You can sell your own beauty supplies, that way you can do both."_

 _"Yeah," said Lindsay as she smiled, "Hey, if you have time between being a teacher, you can help me make the supplies. You're very smart, and you like science, so you can be my lead scientist! We can be business partners!_

 _"Wow, yeah!" said Lee rather exuberantly, "We can call it "L &L Supplies" for our names. We'll be famous!"_

 _Both girls sighed dreamily, after which they continued working on their art project for a few minutes. After around ten minutes of coloring, the girls had finally finished._

 _On the large, 8x14" piece of white construction paper were two crude drawings of Lee and Lindsay. Lee was drawn as a "stick figure"; a circle representing her face, complete with two dots for eyes (her glasses drawn around them) and a smiley face for a mouth. Her long red curls where represented by squiggles drawn with a red crayon, which draped down over her shoulders. Her green dress was represented by a green triangle below her head._

 _Lindsay had drawn a similar characature of herself as well. In lieu of red, Lindsay had fashioned her hair using a yellow crayon. In addition, she had added her signature blue bow using the appropriately colored crayon; the result was a rather over exaggerated and crudely drawn version of the real thing. She fashioned her dress using a triangle as well, but colored it purple._

 _In the picture, both girls drew themselves with "stick" legs and arms. Lee's left arm and Lindsay's right arm were positioned to point towards each other, and their pinky fingers were drawn interlocked in the form of a typical "pinky promise". Above the two girls, written in black crayon were the words:_

 _LeeLee and Lizzy_

 _Best Friends Forever_

 _The two girls glanced over the drawing for a few seconds, after which Lee turned towards Lindsay._

 _"Best friends forever?" asked Lee as she held out her right pinkie finger._

 _"Forever and ever." replied Lindsay with a smile as she returned the gesture._

Although it would be a long time before L&L Supplies would be a legit possibility, that didn't stop the girls from getting a head start on their entrepreneurship endeavors. They would often make believe they had a small business. Lee would build small crafts from pine cones, old pieces of wood, and tin cans, and bring them in to school to present for show and tell. If you don't know by now, Lee is one of those people that can do anything they set their mind to, and these makeshift toys were actually quite impressive. At recess, they would set up a small counter out of building blocks, and Lindsay would use a toy microphone system to market her product to the entire school yard.

While Lee was an excellent craftswoman and a born scientist, Lindsay was a great orator and financial analyst. People just loved her, she had an almost hypnotic charisma about her that could convince anyone to buy anything. She would sell the crafts to the other kids in the class in exchange for fake "play" money, and divide it up evenly between her and Lee.

Eventually, the girls decided to try their hand at actual business. Lindsay would come over our Dads house on the days we were there after school, cause it was within walking distance of her house. They started their own lemonade stand on the corner, and with me and Mays help, as well as our neighbor Ms. McKinstry, they were quite successful. Lindsay's calculator was her constant companion, and she kept a checkbook of sorts in a notepad she got from her father. Looking back, she was quite talented with finance for being so young, it's a shame all of that went to waste.

When the sun went down, the two would spend the evenings up in our third story playroom.

 _Lindsay stood in the center of the blue carpeted 11'x11' room. The white wallpaper was accented by graphics of golden flowers of various sizes. On a small children's play table sat a pink toy cassette tape player, themed in the likeness of a common blonde haired doll. Lee placed a tape in the deck, closed the door, and pressed the play button._

 _Lee had taking a liking to classic rock music, due to being exposed to it by Rod (who himself loved classic rock) from a young age. As the classic rock track played, the girls danced erratically to the beat during the verse, but had developed their own small routine for the chorus. These motions included placing their fingers in the form of a "peace sign" over both of their eyes as they shook their head to the rhythm, waving their index finger back and forth with their arm outstretched, and holding hands as they jumped up and down. They were currently dancing to their favorite song, "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard, performing their routine while singing the chorus:_

 _Pour Some Sugar On Me!_

 _(Ooh in the name of Love)_

 _Pour Some Sugar On Me!_

 _(C'mon on fire me up)_

 _Pour Some Sugar On Me!_

 _(Can't Get Enough!)_

 _Pour Some Sugar On Me!_

 _(Sugar Me!)_

 _The girls both collapsed on the floor as the song ended, giggling happily as they stared at the white ceiling. The glanced toward each other with a smile, after they which they once again shared their "friendship ritual" by interlocking pinky fingers._

"My word," said Double Dee as he placed his hand over his mouth, "I honestly don't believe what I am hearing."

"It's hard to believe, right?" said Marie with a smile, "With all the bitterness and conflict between them, it's almost impossible to tell they once loved each other like sisters."

"I would have never had a clue had you not shared this information with me," said Double Dee, "But I must ask, what went wrong? What could have possibly drove Lindsay to become such a problem for Lee in the present day?"

Marie glanced out the window toward the street with a somber expression.

"Lindsay is not the underlying problem," said Marie, "As much as it seems like the Lindsay you know is in control of her own destiny, she is in fact only a puppet herself."

Double Dee adopted an expression of confusion, as Marie continued her story:

It was a few days before Thanksgiving, and school had just let out. We were all standing in the school yard, saying our good byes before we headed home.

 _The school yard was filled with young children all wearing winter coats of various colors and carrying backpacks. The crowd was slowly dispersing as many of the students began making their way home, some alongside their parents who had come to escort them._

 _Lee and Lindsay were currently exiting the schoolyard through the gate leading out into the street, walking side by side as Marie and May followed them closely. The two girls were in the midst of a fun-filled conversation._

 _"So Lizzy," said Lee with a smile, "The long weekend is coming up!"_

 _"Yep," said Lindsay, "I can't wait"_

 _"Hey, you know what would make it even more fun?" asked Lee_

 _"What's that?" asked Lindsay._

 _"How about a sleepover on Friday night at my house!" said Lee, "I asked my dad if it's okay, and he said yeah. We can play games, tell scary stories, work on some of our L &L designs. What d'ya say?"_

 _Lee stopped walking and glanced toward her best friend with a smile. Lindsay remained still for a few seconds, after which she turned towards Lee with a somewhat melancholy expression._

 _"LeeLee, I would love to sleep over your house," said Lindsay, "But I'd have to ask, and I don't think..."_

Those were the last words ever spoken between those two on good terms. What happened next, I could never forget.

 _"Lindsay Elizabeth!" yelled a shrill, pompous sounding voice, speaking with a heavy Polish accent, "What do you think you are doing get away from those girls!"_

 _Lindsay turned around, her face filled with nervousness, as she stared up into the eyes of a slim somewhat attractive woman._

 _"B..But...," said Lindsay, "Annalee is my best friend!"_

 _"Is this what you have been doing after school?" yelled Ms. Statorowski, "Hanging out with this trash? You're probably going to get yourself head lice!"_

 _Ms. Statorowski placed her hand under Lindsay's chin, repositioned her face up, down, left and right for examination. To her shock and horror, she found a small dirt spot near the left side of her chin, a result of playing in the sandbox earlier in the day._

 _"How many times have I told you!" yelled Ms. Statorowski as she kneeled down to eye level with Lindsay, placing both of her hands on her shoulders as she shook her, "You are a dignified lady. You do not play rough, you do not take that beautiful coat off, and most importantly you do not associate with anyone lesser than you!"_

 _Ms. Statorowski pointed towards the three Kanker sisters._

 _"See those three?" said Ms. Statorowski, "You don't ever play with those three girls. They come from trash, and that makes them trash themselves. Do you really want them bringing you down?"_

 _"But...," said Lindsay with tears beginning to stream from her eyes, "I like playing with them, it makes me happy..."_

 _At that point, Ms. Statorowski grabbed Lindsay's arm in a tight grip and began pulling her down the street._

 _"Come on, we're going home!" yelled Ms. Statorowski, "We're going to straighten this mess out right now, no associated with me is going to be seen hanging out with those...Kanker sores if I have anything to do with it."_

We were all shocked beyond belief. Even though I was really young, I realized that we didn't have as much as other kids at the school, but it never really affected me until I heard an adult refer to us as trash. I could tell that Lee and May felt the same way, but for whatever reason, we decided to ignore it. We said nothing about the incident for the remainder of the night.

We arrived at school the next morning a few minutes before the morning bell rang, and we hung out by the swings as we usually did. Me and May were swinging back and forth, while Lee sat on the ground working on an addition to the art project she and Lindsay had completed a few weeks ago. I decided to finally bring up the events that happened the previous day.

 _"Do you think Lindsay is okay?" asked Marie, "Her mom was really mad that she was hanging out with us. She even called us trash, that wasn't nice at all."_

 _"Yeah," said May, "I hope she still wants to play with us."_

 _"I'm not worried," said Lee, "Me and Lindsay promised each other that we'd be best friends forever, and there is no way she would ever go back on that."_

 _Lee placed her black crayon down, and held the picture she and Lindsay had created up with both of her hands to show her sisters._

 _"She's probably going to be sad," said Lee, "So I've added something to our poster that's going to cheer her up."_

 _Marie and May glanced over Lee's drawing and discovered that the red headed girl had added a crude "logo" for L &L Designs at the bottom of the page. Lee was beaming with happiness as she proudly displayed her work._

 _"I can't wait to show her and see what she thinks!" said Lee._

 _"Hey, there she is!" yelled May as she pointed her finger toward the center of the schoolyard._

 _Lee turned her head and, sure enough, spotted her blonde friend walking through the yard towards the school building. Lee wasted no time and began making her way towards her acquaintance_ _, intent on sharing her additions to their picture._

 _"Hey Lizzy!" said Lee as she approached the blonde girl._

 _To Lee's surprise, Lindsay did not stop to happily converse as usual; rather, she completely ignored the red headed Kanker sister and continued walking._

 _"Hey," said Lee as she jumped in front of Lindsay, stopping her in her tracks "Don't you want to see the additions I made to our picture?"_

 _Lindsay stared into Lee's eyes with a nasty scowl, in complete contrast to her usual chipper personality. She slowly reached her hands towards the picture, and took hold of it with both of her hands._

 _"Do you like it?" asked Lee as she watched Lindsay scan over the page._

 _Lee slowly trained her eyes back towards Lee's._

 _"We're not friends anymore," said Lindsay in a rather quiet, emotionless tone._

 _Lee giggled._

 _"C'mon," said Lee, "Stop kiddin around."_

 _"I'm serious," said Lindsay, "We come from different places, I finally understand. If I ever want to get anywhere in life, I can't be seen with a four-eyed wierdo like you."_

 _Lee's face turned to an expression of sadness._

 _"Lizzy?" asked Lee as her bottom lip began to tremble._

 _Lindsay paused for a few seconds, after which she made one final statement._

 _"And just to show you I'm serious..."_

 _At that point, Lindsay placed both of her hands on the drawing, and proceeded to tear it in half. The resulting tear divided the drawing in two and was highly irregular; however, by some profound coincidence, the central portion of the tear passed directly through the portion of the drawing depicting the girls "pinky swear". Almost all of the words wound up on the side of the drawing depicting Lee, except for the three last three letters "V E R", which wound up on the half depicting Lindsay._

 _Lindsay dropped the two pieces of paper on the ground, turned her back towards Lee, and began walking away, all the while laughing in a cynical manner. Lee said absolutely nothing; the bespectacled girl stood as still as a statue for a few seconds, after which she collapsed to her knees, placed her hands over her eyes, and began sobbing uncontrollably. At that point Marie and May had made their way over to their sister, placing their arms around her for comfort._

"That was it," said Marie, "No explanation, no emotions, no nothing. Just a sudden break off of a beautiful friendship. That was one of only two times in my life I have ever seen Lee cry out in the open. The loss of that friendship devastated her. Lindsay was the first person outside of our family that Lee put her full trust in, and the sudden shatter of that trust caused Lee to put up a virtual barrier to any other potential friendships in life to prevent her from being hurt again. Seeing the person she once thought the world of turn on her and become her bully really hurt Lee's feeling beyond repair."

Marie paused.

"As much as I know that it was Lindsay's mother who put all of that nonsense in her head, I blame Lindsay herself for not standing up for what she truly believed in," said Marie, "After that day, Lindsay began using her amazing persuasive skills, as well as the money she was blessed with, to begin buying friends from the wealthier neighborhood. She wound up building her own clique of girls, and transformed herself into the catty bully she is today, with us of course being her prime targets."

Marie took a sip of her soda

"Of course, none of those girls really cared about Lindsay," said Marie, "They were just pawns, reigned in by the promise of expensive nail polish and new dolls. As much as Lindsay will never admit it, Lee was really the only true friend she ever had. This whole pissing contest you see is, at least for Lee, a form of "therapy" to help her cope with the loss of her friendship and serves as a way to keep Lindsay in her life. That's why me or May never get involved."

Marie turned to Double Dee.

"So now you know the truth." said Marie.

"My word," said Double Dee, "I had no idea that there was such an extensive history between the two."

"Yep," said Marie, "I know it sounds farfetched, but it's one hundred percent the truth."

"It's a shame," said Double Dee, "All of that positive energy gone to waste. After all of that time spent together, and all of those moments shared, there must still be some love hidden deep with their hearts and a desire to rekindle their friendship."

Marie's eyes widened.

"Double Dee," said Marie, "Remember the promise you made to me? I know you, you always try to do the right thing, and you strive to make others happy. Please, do not attempt to try to rekindle anything, or get involved in this fight. Lindsay is too far gone, she has become an emotionless shell of her formal self. I don't believe she has any care for anyone or anything but herself. Trust me, do not interfere, it will lead to complete disaster."

Marie paused.

"As for Eddy," said Marie, "We have to let this play out. Lee will choose to reveal these facts to Eddy when she wants to. Until then, we can do nothing but observe."

Double Dee hesitated for a few seconds, after which he nodded his head up and down agreement. At that point, the waitress returned to the table with the Double Dee and Marie's dinner orders, and the two adolescents began to enjoy their meal as they conversed happily about another subject.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

It was now 9:30 p.m. Double Dee and Marie had finished their dinner around two hours ago, and had made their way back to the cul-de-sac. After saying their good nights, and sharing a kiss, the two teenagers fled had to the comfort of their homes to escape the cold air, joining the remainder of their peers who had already escaped to their beds in an effort to rest up for the following school day.

While most of the cul-de-sac had already immersed themselves in the world of dreams, two particular individuals had not yet retired to their dwellings. Up in the "Melon Cave", Captain Melonhead, and his partner Splinter the Wonderwood were wide awake and at their post. The two were sharing a beach chair, keeping an ever vigilant eye over the Rethink Avenue cul-de-sac. Of course, due to being caught in the act of transporting Kevin's bike to the shop for repairs, the two were joined by their new sidekick, the Harlequin Honeydew (aka Nazz), who was currently sitting in a lawn chair opposite of Jonny and Plank.

While Jonny was quite enthusiastic about his position as the "eyes and ears" of Rethink Avenue, Nazz was less than thrilled with her job as the keeper of Haventhought Way. The Harlequin Honeydew costume consisted of a one piece, green female bathing suit, fully exposing the arms and thighs, accented by white cowgirl boots covering a large portion of her thighs. Her hands were covered with green gardeners gloves, and her eyes were masked with a lime green bandana, similar to one worn by Robin.

Due to the limited skin protection the costume had to offer, and the open air design of Jonny's tree house, Nazz was quite uncomfortable. She sat with her arms folded, her teeth chattering heavily as her entire body shivered due to the extreme cold. This coupled with the fact that Nazz was exhausted from the school day, made for a very uncomfortable experience.

In front of Nazz sat a telescope on a tripod, the intent being to be used as a tool to closely observe any potential events occurring within Haventhought Way. The two had been on watch for around two hours, the highlight of the night being the detection of a small skunk darting across Rethink Avenue.

Nazz glanced at her cell phone, noting the time, after which she turned towards Jonny.

"Jonny," said Nazz in a rather irritable tone, "It's 9:30 dude, shouldn't we be heading in? We got school tomorrow."

"Not quite yet HH," said Jonny as he scanned the lane with his telescope, "We still have a half hour left on patrol, and we must remain vigilant. Remember, crime and injustice can strike at any time."

"Right," said Nazz sarcastically, after which she sighed, folded her arms, and turned around to face Haventhought Way.

Unfortunately for her, Nazz's line of sight was directed toward the area behind Eddy's house, which was occupied by a large, three-story single family dwelling; the home of the Statorowski's. The backyard of the Statorowski residence was quite large, and consisted entirely of grass. The back face of the house was colored blue; a sliding glass door at ground level led into the kitchen, flanked by two large windows on both sides. Two windows, serving two second story rooms of unknown function, were placed directly above the two ground level windows; both were accented with elaborate shutters that seemed to be quite expensive. Finally, on the third story, in the center of the "triangle" created by the gable roof, was a single double hung window. This particular window served Lindsay's bedroom, the interior of which was masked by thin curtains, although the light from the lamps within managed to escape through.

"Great," whispered Nazz to herself, "Just my luck, I have to sit and stare at her house for the next half hour."

Just as Nazz completed her previous sentence, her eyes detected movement within Lindsay's backyard. The backyard did not have any lighting whatsoever, and the area was just at the limits of the range of the Rethink Avenue streetlights. Despite the low quality of illumination, Nazz was able to discern a human figure making it's way through Lindsay's backyard.

"Who is that?" asked Nazz as she leaned forward in her chair.

Jonny, without hesitation, turned around to face Nazz.

"What is it Honeydew?" asked Jonny, "Is there crime afoot?"

Jonny ran towards Nazz and promptly mounted the telescope, gazing towards the area of Lindsay's yard. Although the lighting was limited he was able to make out the identity of the individual; the stout body frame, yellow sweater, and thin black hair gave it away.

"Ah ha!" said Jonny, "Target sighted! Looks like Mr. McGee is paying Ms. Statorowski a visit!"

"Eddy?" asked Nazz in a surprised manner as she stood up from her chair, and grabbed a pair of binoculars to observe for herself, "What is he doing at Lindsay's?"

Eddy happened to be in the process of attempting to execute another phase of his Rolf/Lindsay plan. He had written a fake letter earlier that day, addressed from "Rolf" detailing his deep affections for the girl. He had retrieved a toy gun from his garage that fired darts tipped with suction cups, and was currently in the process of attaching the letter to the shaft of one of the darts with a piece of tape.

Nazz continued observing Eddy's action through the binoculars. As he worked to attach the letter to the dart, Nazz was able to partially discern the contents of the letter. In particular, she was able to make out the first few lines, written in Eddy's handwriting:

 _To my Lindsay,_

 _You are the light of my life, the reason for my existence._

 _I want to hold you in my arms, and never let you go._

 _My dearest love, I..._

Of course Eddy had not made up these words himself, rather they were plagiarized from a poem written in his English textbook. Nevertheless, due to Nazz's ignorance of Eddy's true intentions, she was quite flabbergasted by what she had seen. She lowered her binoculars, her face displaying a confused expression.

Inside the Statorowski house, all was dark and quiet with the exception of one room located on the third floor. The room was quite large, around the size of the living room of a typical residence. The walls were covered with hot pink wall paper, which was accented with graphics of red roses. A door on the wall opposite of the window led to an extremely large walk-in closet, which was filled with what seemed to be hundreds of shirts, pants, dresses, and shoes. A hook was mounted on the outside of the door, on which hung Lindsay's signature maroon designer coat. A few feet from the closet door was a door leading to Lindsay's personal bathroom, which was currently cracked open, revealing a small amount of the white tiled floor.

Across the room sat a large, elaborate cherry vanity. The top surface was covered with piles of makeup kits, nail polish, and other beauty accessories. A large mirror was mounted to the top of the vanity, the perimeter of which was accented by various pictures of Lindsay taken throughout her career modeling designer winter clothes.

A few feet away from the vanity was a large queen sized canopy bed, complete with a wooden headboard and sheets in various hues of pink. Next to the bed sat a red night stand, on which sat a small lamp, currently acting as the only light source for the room. Directly next to her bed, a long sleeved bath robe hung from the canopy for protection from the cold, in case a trip to the bathroom was needed.

Lindsay herself had changed into her pajamas and climbed underneath her bed covers. She was currently wearing a purple nightgown which, when standing would hang to her knees, exposing her shins and bare feet. The gown was sleeveless, and the shoulder straps were accented with white graphics made of silk. Her hair, which nearly always hung to her shoulders in loose waves, had been placed into a tight bun for sleeping; her signature large gold-hooped earrings had also been removed and placed into their box on the vanity for safe keeping. Finally, the mauve eye shadow that usually adorned her chestnut shaped eyes had been removed.

Lindsay was currently leaning her back against the headboard; sitting up as her red comforter covered her body up to her waist.

In her hands, Lindsay clutched a framed photograph, viewing it intently under the dim light of her lamp. The photograph depicted a small blonde haired girl. The young girl appeared to be five years old, and was wearing purple business attire tailored to her size. The girl was smiling happily as she clasped her hands in front of her. To her left, a large framed man kneeled on one knee. The man was dressed in a well pressed black-colored three piece suit, accented by a red tie. His blonde hair was gel styled, and combed to the front. He too was smiling heavily, as he placed his arm around the small girls shoulder. The frame of the photograph was colored blue, and was adorned with gold letters reading "Daddy's Little Helper."

Lindsay continued to stare at the photograph for a few more seconds with a somber expression, at which point a series of three knocks rang out from the area of the door leading to the hallway. These knocks were followed by the shrill voice of her mother, reminding Lindsay that "It was time for bed, and a good night sleep was the key to keeping youthful looks."

Lindsay, in what seemed like an instant, shoved the photograph underneath her pillow as if she were attempting to keep it a secret. She pulled the covers over the remainder of her body, and reached for the lamp switch.

"Yes mother," said Lindsay in a rather polite manner as she switched off the lamp.

Lindsay listened as her mother's footsteps traveled down the hallway, eventually culminating with the sound her bedroom door closing. Lindsay rolled her eyes, punched her pillow, and forcefully laid down on her side as if she were agitated.

Back outside in the Melon Tower, Nazz and Jonny continued to observe Eddy's actions with surprise. They watched as Eddy loaded the pistol with the modified dart, aimed it towards Lindsay's bedroom window, and carefully pulled the trigger. The toy discharged the dart with an audible click, which was followed by the sound of the suction cup hitting the exterior of Lindsay's window. The dart remained in place on Lindsay's window as planned, at which time Eddy quickly scampered through the yard towards the fence. He quickly scaled the fence and disappeared into the darkness of the lane.

Jonny pulled his eye away from the telescope as Nazz lowered the binoculars away from her eyes, both adolescents being quite confused at the display they had just witnessed.

"Well," said Jonny, "It looks like our little friend Eddy is playing a little bit of hanky panky with Lindsay behind Lee's back. What a dirty trick!"

Jonny turned and began walking towards the ladder leading down to his backyard.

"Come on Honeydew," said Jonny, "To the Melon Mobile, we must go alert Lee of these misdeeds."

"Whoa Jonny, I..."

Jonny cut Nazz off with the emission of an over exaggerated "throat clearing" sound. Nazz sighed, and realizing the meaning of Jonny's signal, continued her statement accordingly.

"Melonhead, I know what it looks like," said Nazz, "But there has to be some kind of explanation for this. I mean, who would want to try to get with Lindsay? She's like the meanest girl that ever walked the earth."

Nazz pondered the situation for a few brief seconds, at which point she determined a path forward that would appease Jonny's superhero game.

"Look, Jonn...uh Melonhead," said Nazz as she walked toward the large headed boy, "I'll level with you dude. I agree that if Eddy is cheating on Lee, she needs to know about it. But let's not jump in and stir the pot right away. I don't think we have enough evidence that Eddy is truly attempting to get with Lindsay. There may be an explainable reason for this, and I don't want to alert Lee and potentially cause trouble over an unfounded accusation."

Nazz, playing into Jonny's game, stood at attention and saluted her superior.

"Captain," said Nazz, "Harlequin Honeydew recommends that we conduct a close observation of citizen Eddy over the next few days, the purpose being to ensure that he is in fact not committing relationship adultery and, if he is, to gather official evidence to plead our case."

Jonny stood still for a few moments, after which he raised his hand to return the salute.

"Harlequin Honeydew," said Jonny, "I admire your thinking skills. You are most definitely a great asset to our team. The plan is set, we will observe citizen Eddy closely over the course of the next few days to ensure that he is remaining faithful to his commitment to citizen Lee."

Jonny lowered his hand, turned away from Nazz, and traveled back to his beach chair to resume watch of the lane. Nazz ground her teeth, turned around, and took a seat in her own beach chair. The young girl was now faced with two dilemmas; the burden of playing into Jonny's superhero game, and by proxy, the burden of the knowledge that her best friend's sisters boyfriend is attempting to court Lindsay behind her back. While the idea of Eddy courting Lindsay seemed farfetched, Nazz could not help but wonder in the back of her mind if there was any possibility that it could be true.

Nevertheless, Nazz had decided to stick to her plan of observation, and keep the information to herself until the time was right. Stressed out beyond belief, she leaned back in her chair, let out a long sigh, and muttered a few words to herself.

"Damn it Julia," said Nazz, Couldn't you have drove a little faster?"

As these events unfolded outside, Lindsay had just laid her head down in preparation for her so called beauty sleep. No sooner than Lindsay's head hit the pillow, a loud tap sounded from the general direction of her bedroom window. Startled, Lindsay rose out of her bed and flung off her comforter. She immediately reached for her robe, sliding her arms through the long sleeves to protect them from the cold, and kicked her feet into her bedroom slippers. She jogged towards the window, quickly opening the curtains to determine the source of the noise.

An initial scan through her backyard revealed nothing; Eddy had made his shot and quickly darted over the fence to the lane in an effort to remain undetected. Accordingly, the only evidence of his presence was the note he had written, currently attached to a suction dart stuck to the exterior of her window.

Lindsay rolled her eyes, cracked open the window, and reached outside to grab the dart. She re-closed the window, and made her way back towards her bed, illuminating her lamp in the process. She removed the note from the dart, sat on the mattress, and began reading the note. Upon completion, she rolled her eyes and tossed the note on the floor.

"He can't even make up his own poem," said Lindsay, obviously realizing that Eddy had plagiarized the letter, "And he thinks he's going to trick me into ditching the winter ball queen, I'm not an idiot."

Lindsay sighed as she removed her robe, kicked off her bedroom slippers, and climbed back into bed.

"It's all a sham," said Lindsay, "Just like everything else."

Lindsay reached toward her prized grey handbag, currently sitting on the night stand. She placed her hand inside, removing a white piece of paper that appeared to be torn in half. She clutched the paper in both her hands, her hot pink nails standing out against the white background, as her eyes scanned the page. After a few seconds, she placed the paper back into her handbag, and reached for the lamp.

"At least all of this craziness is one way to keep her in my life," said Lindsay in a rather somber tone after which she clicked off the lamp.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

It was 10:13 a.m. Tuesday morning, and the bell signaling the transition to second period at Peach Creek High School had just sounded. Accordingly, the hallway was filled with students, making their way to their next class while using their precious five minute break from academia to fraternize with friends.

In the case of Ed, Double Dee, Lee, Marie, and May, second period happened to be chemistry lab. Double Dee and Marie walked side-by-side, holding hands all along the way, as they carried their backpacks on their shoulders; a green standard strapped bag for Marie, and a blue, single-strapped "man-bag" for Double Dee. Ed and May had also taken each others hands in a laced finger hold, and were currently conversing happily as they walked a few paces behind Double Dee and Marie. Lee was walking next to Double Dee, in lock step with the couple; her signature black high-heeled boots clicking on the marble floor with every step as her face displayed it's typical sardonic expression

As the five adolescents made their way down the hallway on the way to the classroom, Double Dee decided to initiate a conversation.

"So Lee," said Double Dee with a smile, "Tommorrow's the big night! I absolutely cannot wait to see yourself and Eddy perform your interpretation of the wonderful Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux!"

"Yeah Lee!" said Marie as she turned towards her sister with a smile, "We'll finally get to see that Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy you've been keeping secret all this time!"

"Whatever," said Lee, "All's I know is I can finally stop worrying about it after tomorrow night."

"C'mon Lee," said Marie, "Can't you just cut out the cynical bullshit for once and admit that you enjoy something you are good at? I mean, you spend every night front the time Eddy leaves to midnight locked in Moms ballet room practicing, so you can't say you aren't taking pride in perfecting your work."

"Huh," said Lee, "Yeah right, you think I want to waste my free time on some stupid ballet?"

"Obviously you do!" said Marie in her characteristic "cackling" intonation, "Cause you and mom spent hours and hours fine tuning the choreography and talking about it before you even started actually practicing."

At that point, the group had reached the door leading into the science lab. As they made their way into the classroom, Lee continued to rebuttal her little sisters comments.

"Look," said Lee, "I agreed to this stupid contest for one reason and one reason only. And that reason to make sure that SHE doesn't get yet another thing handed to her like she gets everything else in life."

As Lee uttered the word "she", she pointed towards a lab bench located on the far side of the classroom. At this particular lab bench, Lindsay sat by her lonesome, wearing her signature maroon coat as she leaned back in her chair. She held her right hand outstretched in front of her, nursing her left hand to file her perfectly manicured nails. Upon sensing the presence of the group entering the classroom, she glanced up towards the door, eventually locking eyes with Lee.

As Lee made her way across the classroom with her friends, the two girls remained locked in an antagonistic stare, their faces adorned with intense scowls of what seemed to be complete disgust. After a few seconds, Lee reached her destination and took her seat, at which point Lindsay slowly turned her attention back to her nails. Lee, in a rather violent manner, removed her chemistry text book from her handbag, dropped it on her desk, and flung it open to the chapter applicable to the days lesson, staring at the text with an angry expression.

While Lee took her seat at her own lab bench, Double Dee, Marie, Ed and May took their seats at the bench in front of Lee, which was large enough to accommodate four students. As Ed and May engaged in a light hearted, innocent conversation typical of the couple, Double Dee spent a few seconds observing the classroom, specifically the unspoken tensions radiating between the eldest Kanker and the Statorowski girl. Every few moments, each girl glanced up, delivering a brief scowl to the other before promptly returning to their task at hand.

Double Dee's observation was quickly interrupted as he felt Marie's hand grasp his.

"So cutie?" asked Marie, "Are we science partners or what?"

"Of course Marie," said Double Dee, after which he unconsciously turned his attention back towards the girls. Marie took notice of his absentmindedness.

"Hey, what's got you so distracted?" asked Marie, "It's Chemistry class! Your little adorable smart self would usually have your lab coat on and the whole experiment set up by now."

"I apologize Marie," said Double Dee as he leaned towards his girlfriend, and lowered his voice to a whisper "I'm afraid that I am still quite overwhelmed by the information you provided me last night at the diner. By the manner in which they are currently behaving, it seems completely preposterous that the girls were once as close as, if not closer than, I am to Ed and Eddy. It absolutely pains me to see such a beautiful bond go to waste."

"Trust me," said Marie, "After a while you learn to ignore it. It's easy to let it all go once you realize how much of a lost cause Lindsay really is."

Double Dee turned forward towards the front of the classroom, his face displaying confusion as thoughts ran through his head at machine guns pace. It was not in the intelligent adolescent's heart to simply let conflict continue unnecessarily.

Marie, being able to read her boyfriend like a book, took notice of his demeanor. She reached her hand up and grabbed his chin, turning his face towards hers.

"Hey," said Marie with a rather stern expression, "I can hear those gears turning up there in that brain of yours. Remember our promise cutie? Don't make me regret telling you about that."

Double Dee stared into Marie's eyes for a few seconds, after which he decided to reply.

"Marie," said Double Dee, "I'm putting my full trust in your judgement. I can only hope that this ridiculous competition does not effect the integrity of Eddy and Lee's relationship."

"I agree, we're caught between a rock and a hard place" said Marie, "But the best we can do is stay out of it and let the events play out. Trust me, I've known Lee through my whole life, and nothing gets in between her and the people she loves."

As Marie completed her previous sentence, the science teacher entered the classroom to begin the preliminary lab lecture. The instructor briefed the class on the reactions to be performed and the data to be collected, after which he passed out goggles and latex gloves to protect the students hands from the chemicals.

While the teacher typically allowed the students to work alone or in groups of two, due to constraints on laboratory material resources, the teacher mandated that students work in groups of two. In addition, the teacher had decided that he would be assigning laboratory partners, rather than allowing students to choose their own, due to a "reckless display" that had occurred in the previous lab caused by two good friends working together (implicitly referring to horseplay conducted by Eddy and Kevin in his other chemistry lab class).

Accordingly, the teacher had decided to select partners based on the names that the students had listed on their previous weeks laboratory reports; specifically the students were paired based on the alphabetical order of their first name. Fortunately, due to Ed and Double Dee sharing the same name, the two boys were assigned as partners in accordance with the teachers system. Likewise, May and Marie had been assigned as partners due to having similar first names; Annamae and Annemarie. Appropriately, Double Dee swapped seating positions with May to facilitate the assigned pairing.

Under ordinary circumstances, due to the oldest and youngest Kanker sisters both having an "Anna" prefix, Lee and May would have been assigned as partners, while Marie, due to her prefix bring "Anne" would have been assigned to another student. However, in a very rare turn of events, Lee had signed her previous lab report simply as "Lee", rather than "Annalee" as per usual. This unanticipated turned of events caused her to be grouped with the students whose last names began with "L": the closest of whom happened to be Lindsay Statorowski.

Upon the teachers annunciation of the words "Lee Kanker and Lindsay Statorowski", the two younger Kanker girls, who were in the process of preparing their lab equipment, stopped in their tracks; both of them appearing quite nervous. At the same time, Double Dee who was currently donning his safety glasses and lab coat, ceased his actions momentarily out of surprise. He glanced towards Marie, eventually meeting eyes with her; both adolescent's shared a discrete grimace, as they knew that nothing good could possibly come out of this situation.

Lee herself appeared quite shocked at this turn of events as well, glancing up from her chemistry textbook as if she was a deer in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle. Lindsay ceased filing her nails, frozen in place as if she were a statue. A few seconds passed, at which point both girls shot each other an angry glare. The girls remained in place momentarily, appearing visibly irritated as they remained locked in a bitter staring contest. This proverbial standoff was finally broken by the sound of the teachers voice, encouraging "Ms. Kanker and Ms. Statorowski not to dawdle" as he pointed the two girls to an empty lab bench.

At the point, Lee slammed her chemistry textbook shut, threw it into her handbag, and lifted her bag up off of the floor. She proceeded to angrily stomp towards the lab bench assigned to her by the teacher, and promptly took a seat on the stool. At the same time, Lindsay made her way to the bench in a similar manner, dropping her handbag into the floor with an audible thud while taking a seat on the stool next to Lee. Both girls sat with their legs crossed and their arms folded, looking away from each other towards the wall; their body positions appeared to be an exact mirror image of one another.

As Double Dee began to set up he and Ed's laboratory equipment, he simultaneously remained focused on the events occurring near the the two arch rivals. A few moments passed, at which point the girls finally decided to engage each other.

"Lindsay," said Lee as she continued staring towards the wall.

"Annalee," said Lindsay in a rather monotone manner.

There was a slight pause, after which Lindsay retrieved her fold up mirror from her pocket. She opened it up, inspecting her eyes carefully as she continued speaking.

"Just my luck," said Lindsay, "I get paired up with the queen of the geeks. I guess I can put up with being seen next to you for an hour if it means I don't have to be bothered with any of this nerd stuff. I mean, I really don't have to lift a finger, cause I know you aren't going to want to fail and give up that "A", Ms. Goody Two-Shoes."

"Oh God forbid the great Lindsay even attempts to earn a passing grade through hard work," said Lee, "I hate to burst your bubble, but those perky tits and pretty face ain't gonna last forever. You should probably have something to fall back on anyway...oh wait you do, your fathers estate."

"Oh Hun, don't be jealous," said Lindsay, as she turned towards Lee with a cocky smile, "It's clearly obvious that I'm the superior girl when it comes to looks. Face it girl, just cause you won three modeling contracts within the past year doesn't mean you're something special. No matter how much you try to change it, you'll always be a geek in my book."

"I'd rather be a geek than a fake bitch," said Lee, "And if you think I give a shit what a spoiled brat like you thinks about me, you're obviously stupider than you look."

At that point Lee stood up and began the process of tying her hair up into a tight bun.

"Anyway, I ain't got time for your bullshit," said Lee as she opened the lab bench drawer, removing several beakers, test tube racks, and other laboratory apparatus. "But I'll be damned if I do all of the work while you just sit around and mess with that trashy crap you put on your face."

Lee grabbed one of the large beakers in her hand, and the jug of distilled water provided by the teacher. She proceeded to slide them with force down the bench toward Lindsay.

"Here," said Lee, "Fill that beaker with 50ml of distilled water while I set up the rest of the stuff. I hope that's not too much of a task for your limited brain capacity."

Lindsay remained seated with her arms folded as the laboratory equipment slid to a stop in front of her. She rolled her eyes, and returned to staring toward the opposite wall with a scowl.

"And take that tacky coat off while your at it." said Lee.

"Uh, no." said Lindsay as she held her hand out in front her face, examining her nails.

"Look you moron," said Lee as she set up a Bunsen burner on the lab table, connecting the gas line to the service nipple, "We're gonna be using fire, and you can't have loose sleeves like that near an open flame, unless you want to see that precious rabbits-fur go up in smoke. Besides, you didn't spend all that money having that coat constantly altered as you grew since you were five to have it get a tiny spec of splatter on it. Man oh man the world will end!"

Surprisingly, Lindsay did not provide a snarky retort to Lee's comment; rather, she remained completely silent, fixated on the Bunsen burner. A few seconds passed, after which Lee turned the gas supply knob, causing the fuel to flow through the burner with an audible hiss. Lee quickly picked up a striker and, with one short click, ignited the gas creating a thin blue flame.

At the point of ignition, Lindsay's overconfident resolve seemed to disappear, and she appeared to enter a catatonic state. Her eyes remained intently focused on the flame, with what seemed to be an expression of utter distress. While the roar of the small flame was barely audible over the sound of the entire class conversing about their lab experiment, to Lindsay it seemed to be of a volume comparable to that of Niagra falls.

"Yo!" yelled Lee, "Are ya gonna fill that beaker or what? We ain't got all day."

A brief moment passed, at which point Lindsay finally regained her senses, her face returning to it's typical resting scowl expression.

"Listen Nerd Girl," said Lindsay as she stood up from her chair, picking up her handbag in the process, "I don't take orders from those who aren't on the same tier as me, and last time I checked, you aren't even worthy to clean the bottom of my shoes."

"You don't even need me to clean them," said Lee, "All's ya gotta do is pay those fake friends of yours to come lick the dirt off of them. Isn't that how you get everything else done for ya?"

Lee sarcastically giggled, as Lindsay's face turned a bright shade of red.

"Oh yeah!?" yelled Lindsay, "We'll see who has friends tomorrow night! The audience gets to vote on the winner. I got a whole auditorium of people that love me, and who do you got? Deadeye, Braceface, and your little Loud-Mouthed boyfriend. Get real and face it, I'm the most popular, _and_ the prettiest girl in the freshman class, and that's all that matters in this world. I don't care how smart you are, you'll never be nothing more than a four-eyed wierdo geek, you just remember that."

"Typical overconfident spoiled brat," said Lee, "If you think you can win just by buying people's love, this is gonna be too easy for me. It's going to be so fun watching your little empire go up in flames when I use actual skill to put your smart ass back in place."

"Haha," said Lindsay, "You know, I'll give it to ya Annalee. You're still trying even though you know in the back of your mind that you will never be better than me."

Lindsay began laughing as she made her way towards the classroom door.

"Have fun with your little nerdy experiment." said Lindsay, "A girl like me can't be bothered with such a waste of time. And I suppose, out of pity I should wish you good luck on stage tomorrow night. You're gonna need all the luck you can get."

Lindsay opened the door to the classroom, and exited out into the hallway, as she cackled like a witch. As the door closed, Lee raised her right hand in the air to the point where Lindsay could see it and extended her middle finger, displaying a common obscene gesture.

Upon hearing the latch to the door engage, Lee angrily returned to her experiment and completed the entire operation by her lonesome. In the midst of working on he and Ed's experiment, Double Dee had kept an eye on the two girls, observing their interactions with sadness as he meticulously measured his chemicals.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

The school day had come and gone, and the sun had once again begun it's journey over the horizon, ushering in the twilight hour. The sky had transformed from it's ordinary blue color to hues and orange and pink; due to the position of the sun, the mountains as well as the city skyline in the distance appeared as mere black silhouettes. Although the temperature was quite chilly, the business district was abuzz with individuals. It was the week before Christmas, and several stores were offering discounts and other holiday deals.

Although the bulk of the crowds lined the Main Street of the business district, the small tree distributor, owned by Chris Nicklaus, was quite abuzz with families searching for the perfect tree. It was 5:00 p.m. and for the last hour and a half, Ed, Edd and Eddy have been working tirelessly to service the seemingly endless crowds. While Ed and Double Dee had embraced their short careers as "tree boys", Eddy seemed less than enthused at the prospect of working.

All three Ed boys had certainly come around in terms of responsibility. Ed had learned that horseplay would not be tolerated while on the clock, and subsequently learned to suppress his oafish antics as he cut, lifted, tied trees to the customers cars, and made deliveries. Double Dee, while already the most responsible out of the three Eds, certainly earned his keep by balancing the checkbook of the shop, and even fine tuning the financial efficiencies.

Eddy, however was quite bitter regarding his duties; he, Ed was habitually assigned mundane and labor intensive tasks such as cleaning out the back of Chris's truck after every delivery, polishing the various large porcelain Christmas decorations peppered around the site, and mopping the floors of the office building. This compounded with the fact that he felt the boys were being paid too little for their efforts, seemed to infuriate the short Ed boy.

Fortunately, there was currently a slight lull in business. Accordingly, the boys had gathered around the "Ed-Mobile" for a short break. Ed was dressed in his typical attire, aside from the inclusion of brown gloves and a brown ski cap due to the cold weather. Double Dee had donned a pair of green earmuffs, a green scarf, and his trademark thick orange winter coat. Lastly, Eddy was wearing red scarf, brown workman's jacket, and a red ski hat.

The boys had all retrieved a bottle of water from the office building. They were currently refreshing themselves as Double Dee jotted down financial notes using the notepad provided by Chris. As he wrote at what seemed to be machine guns pace, he decided to share his ideas with his friends.

"Well gentlemen," said Double Dee, "Going through the business finances, taking into account all expenses up to and including procurement of the decorations from the warehouse, general upkeep, electricity, and fuel consumption, it appears that Nicklaus Brothers Contracting has made a profit of $ 7,506.52 since we began our journey as tree farm assistants."

"Well whoopidy doo," said Eddy sarcastically as he took a sip of his water, "The question is, when is the cash going to flow into our pockets?"

"Patience Eddy," said Double Dee, "Discounting tomorrow night, as we will not be working due to attending the talent show, we only have two more working days until our tenure under Mr. Nicklaus is expired. Remember, Mr. Nicklaus promised us payment upon completely fulfilling our obligation."

"Not a dime until December 20th!" said Ed in a rather dopy intonation, repeating Chris's exact words upon being asked about payment.

Eddy groaned, as he kicked the tire on the trailer he and his friends used to deliver trees.

"Eddy," said Double Dee, "You should really be much more appreciative of this opportunity. Mr. Nicklaus has decided to take us under his wing, so to speak, and teach us the value of a dollar through hard work and determination. In doing so, he has also provided us with the chance to earn contributions towards our Christmas gifts for our significant others."

Double Dee paused briefly, placing the notepad into his jacket pocket for safe keeping.

"Besides,"said Double Dee, "Mr. Nicklaus is correct, twelve dollars an hour is quite generous given the fact that he is only obligated to pay us minimum wage."

"Of course you're not complaining," said Eddy, "You got the easy job thanks to that nerdy brain of yours. All's you gotta do is count they money, me and Ed gotta do all the heavy lifting and cleaning."

"C'mon mister, where's your Christmas Spirit?" asked Ed enthusiastically as he smacked Eddy in the back, surprising the small boy, "By bringing holiday cheer to our customers, Santa will see what a good boys we've been and bring us everything we want for Christmas. And boy oh boy I can't wait to see the look on my Little May's face when she opens her gift. She's gonna be soooo happy!"

"That's the spirit Ed!" said Double Dee, "And with that note, I am happy to reveal that in addition to my responsibilities as the accountant for the tree farm, I have been performing an independent analysis of our own profits. According to my calculations, we will each be earning $432.00 at the end of the week. And that's not including the currently unknown bonus that Mr. Nicklaus has promised."

"Yippy!" said Ed, "That means I'll be able to buy May's gift and have change left over, just like we talked about yesterday!"

"Yes Ed isn't it wonderful!" said Double Dee, "While the earnings from this job aren't enough to cover Marie's eye surgery payment, I have accrued a significant amount of money in my savings account over the last couple of years, and that should be enough to make up the difference."

Double Dee clasped his hands.

"How invigorating!" said Double Dee, "What a perfect instance of the power of the holiday spirit! By some stroke of luck, not only were we offered jobs that would allow us to bring Christmas cheer to all of those in Peach Creek, but we have also earned enough to fulfill our hopes of satisfying our loved one!"

Double Dee turned towards both of his friends with a smile. Ed was currently bursting with joy as he continued to hug himself out of excitement. Eddy on the other hand was not nearly as enthusiastic as his two best friends. The stout boy was currently leaning on the tree trailer, his hands in his pockets as he stared in the opposite direction of his friends with an irritated expression.

"I must admit I am quite surprised Eddy," said Double Dee, "Usually, the mere mention of anything to do with currency instantly piques your interest and brings a smile to your face. If you're worried about not being able to afford Lee's ball gown, have no fear. Ed and I can spare a few extra dollars, if it means bringing joy to another individual."

Eddy ground his teeth as he turned towards Double Dee.

"You keep harpin' on that stupid dress as if I'm really going through with it," said Eddy, "I told ya before, I changed my mind. I ain't getting no dress, and if all goes according to plan, I ain't going to the winter ball."

Double Dee paused for a few moments prior to responding to Eddy's comments. In these brief moments, he was reminded of the seriousness of the situation. Eddy was quite upset with Lee's behavior, and it seemed that the presence of Lindsay was causing intense and possibly irreparable friction within their relationship. Double Dee wrestled with an extremely difficult moral decision: reveal Lee's secret regarding her broken friendship to Eddy, or keep his promise and put his complete trust in Marie's judgment.

Ultimately, he decided to honor Marie's request; however, that did not stop him from attempting to explain the ramifications of Eddy's actions while still keeping the exact details a secret.

"Eddy, you should really attempt to be more understanding." said Double Dee, "Lee has obviously been hurt by Lindsay in the past, and due to this emotional turmoil, I would not doubt for second that she is keeping several aspects of her childhood hidden, causing her untold frustration. Please Eddy, I beg you to reconsider your approach. Please cease and desist, sit down with Lee and attempt to understand her feelings as her significant other."

At that moment, Eddy approached Double Dee at a rapid pace. He held his right index finger in a vertical position, holding it up to Edds face, slightly surprising the boy. As an angry expression overcame his face, he began yelling in a rather aggressive manner.

"No Sockhead, here's what you need to understand," yelled Eddy, "I've had the worst Christmas season I've ever had in my life! All because Lee's holding a grudge against this stupid bimbo for calling her a few names when they were kids."

"Eddy!" yelled Double Dee.

"Oh I understand," said Eddy, "I gotta get rid of Lindsay before I get dragged into another stupid chapter of this catfight. And it's gotta be quick, cause the ballet was the last straw! If she tries to force me into anything else, I'm calling it quits!

"Please, you _don't_ understand!", yelled Double Dee in a frantic manner, "Listen to yourself, I was led to believe that you had given up your old selfish ways."

"You're calling me selfish?" asked Eddy, "Are ya blind? You've seen the way Lee's been acting. I'm the one who has been giving and giving, but not getting anything back! I don't deserve this crap."

Eddy turned away from his friends and began walking towards the entrance of the tree farm.

"Eddy, where are you going?" asked Double Dee, "We still have fifteen minutes left of work, and Mr. Nicklaus has not yet dismissed us from duty!

Eddy ceased walking momentarily, and turned towards his friend.

"Tell the old man he can keep my share of his chump change." said Eddy, "His bullshit ain't worth the money. I quit."

Eddy turned around and continued walking towards the alley leading to the main concourse of the business district, as Double Dee and Ed looked upon their friend with melancholy expressions.


	32. Chapter 32

**Authors Note**

 _Good evening readers._

 _Just wanted to pause and say thanks for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate the feedback and hope you continue to stay with me until the end. You guys are awesome._

 _In conversations with several different readers, I have been asked a few times what/who Lindsay's voice would sound like. I have been back and forth regarding a "fantasy voice actress" who I would cast to play Lindsay, and after considering multiple actresses, I have narrowed the list down to two finalists. I am leaning very heavily towards one, who I think has the ability to capture the character as I imagine her...that announcement will come later._

 _For now, let's press on! Here's chapter 32!_

 **Chapter 32**

Around the same time that the Ed's were taking their break at tree farm, Marie and May were finishing up yet another night working as sales associates at the Green Clover. Just as the Eds had drastically improved their work ethic over the course of the week, May and Marie had fine-tuned their customer service skills. Marie had mastered the use of the cash register, and had become quite proficient at making change. While she was quite hesitant to take the cashier job, due to her low confidence in her ability to do so, she had found enjoyment in the fast paced nature of the work, as well as the ability to make small talk with the customers.

May, while suffering from the same clumsy personality traits as her oafish boyfriend, managed to find her niche as the main sales floor representative. She had substantially improved her ability to the wrap customers presents. In addition, May had overcome one of her more limiting, but not often displayed personality traits; shyness. May had always been the most introverted and timid of the three Kanker sisters, and typically only exuded confidence when she had her much more sociable older sisters to back her up. However, the few days spent dealing with customers on the sales floor by herself had allowed her to come out of her shell and become more comfortable in conversation with unfamiliar people. The experience payed off, as throughout the holiday season, the Green Clover allowed customers to provide feedback via an anonymous internet survey regarding their service for a chance to win free products; within the last few days, the store had been receiving nothing but positive feedback regarding the "friendly, blonde, pigtailed girl with braces."

The large, ornate, Christmas themed clock mounted above the sales counter indicated the time as 5:00 p.m. As usual, the store was experiencing a lull as many families in the area and the neighboring suburb were currently enjoying dinner. The black and blonde haired Kanker sisters were currently using the quiet time to inventory items stored behind the counter. As May passed items to Marie for placement into a cardboard box, she decided to engage her sister in conversation with a smile.

"This is going a lot better than I thought," said May in her characteristic adenoidal voice, "We're having so much fun, and in a few days I'll get to order my Ed his Christmas present. I'm so excited!"

"You and me both!" said Marie, "I've been running the numbers at home, and it looks like I'm going to be able to afford my dream boats new hair. I just know it will change his life for the better, and I can't wait to see his reaction!"

"He's gonna love it!" said May, "He might even cry out of happiness cause it's such a touching gift. It's like in the movies!"

Marie sighed dreamily.

"I can't wait," said Marie, "What a miracle it was that Edith offered us these jobs. There's no way we'd be able to satisfy our men without it."

Marie glanced towards her sister with an amorous grin.

"Well, at least not with our hands." said Marie

Marie laughed as May punched Marie in the arm playfully. The two girls shared a giggle after which May continued the conversation.

"I wonder if Lee ever decided what she's gonna get Eddy for Christmas?" asked May.

"I don't know," said Marie, "I asked her multiple times. She's told me she's got it covered, and I should stop nagging her and focus on perfecting my piano performance of the pas de Deux for tomorrow night."

"Sounds normal," said May, "But I wouldn't worry, we should trust her! Lee's always done the right thing for us and herself, and you see how much she changed since she started dating Eddy. She really likes him, I doubt that even the stuff that happened between her and Lindsay will affect her getting him a Christmas present."

"I'm not so sure," said Marie in a concerned manner.

"What do you mean?" asked May.

Marie sighed.

"May, can you keep a secret," said Marie.

"Sure," said May, "I guess."

"I'm serious May!" said Marie, "I might have caused more trouble than there already is."

May remained silent, merely shaking her head up and down in agreement of keeping Marie's secret.

"I told Double Dee about Lee and Lindsay's past at dinner last night." said Marie.

May's face suddenly transformed to an extremely alarmed expression.

"What!" yelled May, "But Marie you...!"

Marie placed her hand over May's mouth, silencing her obnoxious younger sister while simultaneously placing her index finger to her mouth in a gesture indicating for her to be quiet. She released her hand from the distressed Mays mouth, allowing her to speak, albeit in a more quiet manner.

"But Marie," said May, "How could you? We promised Lee after it happened that this was something we'd never speak about again! It's one of the secrets that's never supposed to leave the Kanker family, and if Lee find out she's gonna be really mad!"

"I know lug head!" said Marie, "That's why she ain't gonna find out, and you're not going to tell her."

"Well no shit!" said May, "But can I ask why you told him?"

"Look," said Marie, "Remember how I kept saying how I hoped Lee dragging Eddy into this pissing contest wasn't going to put a strain on their relationship."

"Yeah," said May.

"Double Dee shares the same concerns," said Marie, "And over the past few days, he's said Eddy's been becoming increasingly frustrated with Lee's apparent selfishness and demanding personality."

Marie paused, as she closed one of the cardboard boxes used for storage, using packaging tape to seal it.

"Lee isn't doing any of this on purpose," said Marie, "She has a lot of trouble expressing any emotions other than anger, and love and affection from a person besides us, Mommy and Daddy is something completely alien to her. I think it's actually overwhelming, and involving Eddy in her fight with Lindsay is her way of ensuring herself that somebody still loves her and will do anything for her, while also doing everything she can to spend time around her former best friend."

"She trusts him," said May, "He's the only man Lee trusts besides Daddy, and ever since she told us about Dennis earlier this year it makes sense why she hated men so much."

"That's exactly what I told Double Dee," said Marie, "He told me that Eddy's got this whole plan where he is trying to drive Lindsay away from Lee using Rolf's strange ways. He's been helping Rolf write fake letters, making disgusting gifts for her, and convincing Rolf that Lindsay loves embracing cultures so that he keeps pursuing her."

"Oh my God," said May, "If Lee finds out..."

"I know," said Marie, "That's why I told Double Dee. First of all, you know my dreamboat, he's super smart and can read people and situations very well. He already knew something more was going on, watching Lee and Lindsay's fight, and Lee's reaction to Eds pinky swear. He was very persistent, and told me that Eddy's frustration is reaching a boiling point. I decided to tell him, hoping that he could use the information in his own way to calm Eddy down without telling him the entire story."

Marie paused.

"It's Lee's business," said Marie, "She will tell Eddy when she feels ready, and I have no doubts that she eventually will. Hopefully it is sooner than later, cause if Lee finds out Eddy is going behind her back to attempt to drive Lindsay away, she'll interpret it as Eddy not wanting to spend time with her and her trust for him will be shattered. Lee's already been hurt by a best friend who she loved, and we saw how that effected her. If she lost her boyfriends trust, I have no idea how she'd react."

"Yeah," said May, "It could be another one of _those_ days."

"I don't want to talk about it," said Marie, "It makes me so nervous just thinking about that..."

The two girls resumed packing the supplies in silence for a few seconds, after which Marie decided to continue.

"I'm also a little worried about my Oven Mitt," said Marie, "I have a feeling he is going to try to get in between Lee and Lindsay to stop the feud. He strives to make people happy, and hates conflict; and I know he always tries to do the right thing. He's mentioned multiple times how upsetting it is that a friendship with such potential had to go to waste, and I can see the sadness in his eyes that he's powerless to help to bring the neighborhood into harmony."

"Maybe he can Marie!" said May with a smile, "Double Dee opened up to you and allowed you to show him who you really are, which eventually helped us to be accepted by the cul-de-sac, and me to eventually become Big Ed's girlfriend. He might be able to sort things out between those two."

"I'm torn May," said Marie, "On one hand, I told Double Dee not to try because Lindsay is too far gone. She isn't the girl she was back when she used to play with Lee all the time. She's been completely twisted by that overbearing mother of hers, and I guarantee you it's continuing to this day. It's reached the point where she is nothing more than a puppet, living someone else's dreams to be the most popular and prettiest girl in town, at the expense of having true friends."

Marie closed another box, and turned towards May.

"On the other hand," said Marie, "I already know that Lee feeding into Lindsay's bullshit is her way of keeping her best friend in her life. Think about it May, if that was anybody else egging Lee on as much as Lindsay does, they would have already got a knock-out punch to the face. It's a long shot, but the same could be true for Lindsay. I've seen Lindsay deal with people she hates with ignorance. She hates Nazz for not giving into her every whim on the cheer squad, and ever since Nazz quit the cheer team, she hasn't even said two words to her. So if she really hates Lee, she would just ignore her and not even give her any of her time."

"So?" asked May.

"So, what I'm saying is Double Dee might be right in the fact that, somewhere inside Lindsay, is that little girl that used to love running the lemonade stand, playing on the see-saw, and spending every waking moment she could with our big sister." said Marie.

"I dunno Marie," said May, "You really think the fight could stop, and things could go back to the way they used to be?"

"In a perfect world yes," said Marie, "But as much as I know that her mother had a lot to do with her breaking off her friendship with Lee, I blame Lindsay herself for not being stronger. Even though her mom said all kinds of bad things about us, that didn't mean Lindsay had to go ahead and pick on us out of her own accord. To be honest May, I don't know if I could ever forgive her for all of the bad things she's done to us, especially the way she disowned Lee as her friend without any explanation."

Marie paused, at which point she grabbed May's hand in hers.

"But as Uncle Jack used to say," said Marie, "Sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie."

May stared into her sisters eyes for a few moments, after which she nodded and returned to her task at hand. A few seconds passed, at which point May grabbed a box of holiday chocolates of off the table and held them out to Marie.

"Chocolates?" asked May with a smile, "My treat, we can split the box!"

"Don't mind if I do!" said Marie in an exuberant manner.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

A few hours had passed since May and Marie's sisterly conversation at the Green Clover. After work, the girls had decided to go their separate ways. Double Dee had invited Marie over his house to enjoy a roasted chicken dinner with his parents, followed by another movie date in his fathers den. May had made her way back to Eds basement to help her boyfriend apply the finishing touches to Lee's ballet display, after which they decided to snuggle on Ed's armchair for a few classic stop motion Christmas specials.

The Kanker-Lonergan residence was fairly quiet, a rarity given the fact that it was occupied by a five person family with three rambunctious teenage girls. This was due to the aforemented absence of the two younger Kanker sisters, as well as Tabby and Rod. Tabby had recently regained contact with one of her good friends she met while working at the catering business in the city, and had decided to spend the evening at her house catching up. Rod was currently at work, serving his night tour of duty, and would be spending the night sleeping at the firehouse.

While the majority of the house was silent, Tabby's ballet room, located in the basement, was full of energy. Lee and Eddy had been working on polishing up their dance steps in preparation for the talent show the following night for hours. Lee was wearing her standard ballet practice attire, a black leotard with white leggings and pointe shoes; her red curls were tied up into a tight ponytail. Eddy was wearing a white sleeveless shirt, black tights, and grey slip on shoes.

The two teenagers were currently finishing up a rehearsal of the entire pas de deux portion of their dance to music, provided via a boom box sitting on top of the piano, in an effort to simulate their actual performance. Lee was standing on the tip of her right foot, leaning her body forward as she held her left leg in the air behind her body for balance. She was holding Eddy's hands in hers as she spun around several times, using the tips of her toes as a pivot; Eddy circled Lee in step as she spun, guiding his girlfriend while providing extra support.

After a few spins, Eddy planted his feet and placed his hands near Lee's hips. Lee continued spinning, executing a fast-paced pirouette as Eddy used his hand to assist her in maintaining momentum. As Lee spun, she counted out the beats for tracking purposes.

"One and two and three and four and STOP!" said Lee.

At the sound of the word stop, Lee ceased spinning and rose to stand on the tips of her left toes. She leaned to the left slightly, with her right foot extended to the side in a horizontal position for balance, as she flared her arms out and slightly upwards with a smile. Eddy froze in place as well, with his hands on Lee's hips as he stood in a vertical position. Both teenagers stared at themselves in the large mirror, maintaining the pose that served as the finale to their routine as the music faded out.

A few seconds passed, after which Lee dismounted from her position and turned towards Eddy.

"Well, that's a wrap." said Lee, "I think we're all set, all's that's left to do is rest up and do it one more time tomorrow."

"Yep," said Eddy in a somewhat low key tone, as he glanced down toward his shoes "Tomorrow's the big night."

Lee took notice of her diminutive boyfriends melancholy tone, and took a few steps towards him. She placed her hand underneath his chin, lifting his head into a position to make eye contact as she simultaneously leaned down.

"What's wrong sweetie, you still nervous?" asked Lee, "Don't sweat it. You've accomplished as much in the last week as most people learn in three months, and you've gotten pretty damn good at it. I'll admit, you shocked me with how well you've done. I wrote our routine at a more elementary level than it is typically performed, but when I saw ya catching on at such a rapid pace, I decided to up the ante a bit and change the choreography to add a few more advanced steps."

Lee leaned closer to Eddy's face as she smiled.

"I'm so proud of you Eddy," said Lee, "Don't you worry about a thing. I know it's your first time on stage performing, but you are going to be fine tomorrow night, I promise!"

As Eddy looked up into Lee's blue eyes, his mind began to wander. Over the past few weeks, Eddy had developed severe frustration over his seemingly forced involvement in the feud between Lee and Lindsay. To the outside observer, it appeared that these frustrations stemmed from Lee's domineering demeanor, and his involuntary commitment to her cause; however, the true reason for Eddy's frustration lied in the fact that he felt powerless to assist the situation. Ignorant of Lee's past regarding Lindsay, the stout Ed boy only saw his girlfriend being driven to borderline insanity by an old bully.

Since getting to know Lee, Eddy had seen her grow and mature as a person. The former bully was gone, and she had begun behaving as if she was a grown up version of her childhood self, while still maintaining a cynical, street-smart attitude. Eddy had helped her cope with the severe abuse she suffered as a pre-teenager, and was happy to see that the retreat she attended at the end of June last summer assisted her in overcoming her emotional obstacles.

While Eddy claimed to be an expert at women, Lee was Eddy's first serious girlfriend, and while it wasn't as apparent to the outside world as his friends relationships due to personality differences, Eddy adored Lee as a person, and hated to see her suffer emotionally. Years of emotional abuse had made it quite difficult for him to express feelings of adoration and love, and this lack of understanding often caused him to make questionable decisions and exhibit manipulative behavior. The support of his friends had helped him overcome his manipulative ways, and with the exception of one relapse during the previous winter, he had managed to turnover a new leaf and become a better person. However, the strong desire to protect Lee's feelings, and do what he thought was best to remedy the situation with Lindsay had caused him to slip back into using manipulative tactics to achieve a desired end, as evidenced by his plan to use Rolf to drive Lindsay away. In addition, while he refused to admit it, Double Dee was right; Eddy was in the midst of a moral conflict regarding his plan to deter Lindsay from hurting Lee. In his mind, he had all but two choices as to how to handle the situation: Resort to back to scamming/manipulating to protect his girlfriends feelings, or sit back back and watch her continue to be aggravated.

On top of all of these thoughts, Eddy had also began to wonder if Lee would do the same thing for him. Lee had been displaying rather selfish tendencies over the past few days, such as stealing Eddy's money for tickets to the dance, and volunteering him to perform in the talent show without even requesting his input. As he glanced up into his girlfriends eyes, he observed something that even he had very rarely seen from his pretty girlfriends face; a genuine, sincere smile. A smile that he saw a few months prior when he and Lee first declared themselves an item and shared their first dance together in Double Dees living room. The sight of Lee's radiant face managed to make the small Ed boy to smile, and placed him into an even deeper trance.

"Hey you!" said Lee playfully, breaking Eddy away from his thoughts, "What's bothering you? It's not like my little loudmouth to be so quiet."

Eddy remained silent for a few moments, after which he decided to reply rather nervously.

"Well," said Eddy, "To be honest, I am nervous. Everyone's gonna be there tomorrow night, Kevin, Rolf, and all of the other guys from the football and basketball teams. Everyone's going to make fun of me for dancing ballet and wearing tights, and I'm never going to hear the end of it until summer."

Lee placed her arm on Eddy's shoulder.

"Eddy," said Lee, "Let me tell you something. Those guys can laugh all they want, but I guarantee you that none of them have the balls to do what you are doing. People are going to be laughing at me too, I know it, but that ain't stopping me from dancing my ass off tomorrow night. The best thing you can do in front of foolish people like that is to exude confidence, and be the absolute best you can be. You do that tomorrow, and I guarantee that those guys will leave that auditorium with nothing to say."

Lee paused momentarily, standing up straight as she giggled.

"Besides," said Lee, "Your confidence ain't the only thing those guys are gonna be envious of."

"What do you mean?" asked Eddy.

"I can't believe you haven't noticed yet!" said Lee, "Turn around and check yourself out in the mirror, you'll be surprised."

Eddy momentarily stood still, glancing upon Lee with a state of confusion, before turning his attention toward the mirror. As soon as Eddy laid eyes on his reflection, his eye's widened with astonishment. It seemed that Eddy's dancing ability was not the only thing improved by ballet practice; his formerly skinny biceps and triceps, as well as his deltoids had gained a significant amount of muscle mass. In addition, the low cut, form fitting tank top revealed a small amount of his upper pectorals, which were equally developed.

"Holy shit!" said Eddy with a sly smile as he struck a bodybuilding pose, "Check me out!"

"Looks like all those lifts we went over paid off!" said Lee, "I bet all your friends are gonna be asking you to show them some pointers on how you got so ripped."

Lee walked up to Eddy and placed her arms around his torso. She placed her chin on his shoulder, and looked into his eyes via the mirror as she spoke with a smile.

"See, didn't I tell ya you'd be happy with the result of our dance routine?" asked Lee, "You should know by now I always look out for those I lov...care about."

Eddy smiled at Lee's words as he continued flexing his right bicep in the mirror. Lee kissed Eddy on the cheek, after which she relocated herself to Eddy's right side.

"And here I thought my little sweetie couldn't get any sexier!" said Lee, after which she grabbed Eddy's bicep with her left hand. She playfully fanned herself as if she was overheated with her right hand as she rolled her eyes for a few seconds, causing Eddy to smile.

Lee pulled away and giggled as Eddy continued to observe his reflection in the mirror. However, rather than checking out his new physique by striking a body building pose with a sly grin, he stood with both of his arms hanging towards the ground and appeared to be deep in thought. Finally, after a three second duration, he suddenly turned to face Lee and posed an all too important question.

"Hey Lee," said Eddy rather sheepishly.

"Yes Eddy," said Lee as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"What do you want for Christmas?" asked Eddy.

Lee remained still for a few moments, after which she once again kneeled to Eddy's eye level and brought her face close to his.

"All's I want for Christmas is you," said Lee in a rather sultry sounding voice.

Eddy had no time to respond to Lee's statement, as she subsequently pressed her lips to his. After around five seconds, she lifted her lips away from Eddy's, but remained in close proximity to his face.

"C'mon cutie," said Lee as she smiled, "Let's go upstairs and get changed. I'll make us some dinner, and then if you like we can go up to my room and have some fun in a different way if you get what I mean."

Lee leaned into Eddy's right ear, and lowered her voice to a sultry whisper.

"This is the first time we've been alone with the house empty," said Lee, "We don't have to worry about being quiet tonight."

Lee retained an amorous grin as she awaited Eddy's response. Unusual for the stout adolescent, the prospect of he and Lee enjoying some "alone time" (especially one which Lee promised would be more exhilarating due to an empty house) did not seem to excite him. A few moments passed, and Eddy finally decided to respond.

"Ya know what babe," said Eddy, "I think I'll head back to the old sack and turn in. This dancing thing was hard work, and I want to get a lot of sleep so I can do my best tomorrow night."

Eddy glanced towards the mirror and flexed his biceps.

"Besides," said Eddy, "These guns need to be rested so they can have the honor of successfully lifting the sexiest babe in Peach Creek."

Eddy turned back toward Lee with an amorous grin of his own.

"How about we save the fun you suggested as our reward for a job well done tomorrow night?" asked Eddy, "My folks will be out all night, we can do it at my place."

For a brief instant, Lee appeared somewhat taken aback by Eddy's denial of dinner with dessert. However, the tall slim girl finally smiled and replied to her boyfriends suggestion.

"I like the way you think!" said Lee, "I agree, rest yourself up so we can wipe the floor with the competition tomorrow night. And afterwards, I'll come over your house, I'll make you dinner, then I'll show you some tricks of my own that will make your head spin faster than I can pirouette."

Lee giggled at her statement, after which she began walking towards the door leading out to the den. Eddy remained standing as still as a statue, pondering what "tricks" Lee was talking about with a smile.

"By the way," said Lee, as she turned around to face Eddy with an amorous grin, "Those tights don't hide anything, I'm glad just talking about tomorrow makes you excited."

Eddy broke out of his "romance induced" euphoria, gazed down towards his crotch, and quickly covered the area with both of his hands while blushing. Lee giggled, after which she continued on her way toward the door.

An hour had passed, and Lee had decided to follow Eddy's lead and retire to her bedroom early. Lee and Eddy shared their goodbyes, complete with a good night kiss, and a promise to walk each other to school the following morning. In the time between Eddy's departure, Lee had showered, changed into her pajamas, and tied her red curls up into a tight bun for sleeping.

Lee was currently sitting on her bed, leaning against the large wooden headboard. She donned her typical sleepwear, a light blue loose fitting t-shirt that hung to her knees when she stood up, and a pair of pink lounge pants with white flowers on them.

In her hands was a packet of old photographs that appeared to be taken with a disposable camera. She paced through the photographs one-by-one, observing each for a few seconds as her eyes appeared to tear up from behind her glasses.

Each photograph depicted a young, kindergarten aged Lee, smiling as she played with her best friend Lindsay. The girls activities varied between photographs, and included the two singing karaoke in Lee's bedroom, Lindsay showing Lee showing to do her nails, and the two girls sitting on Rods porch enjoying ice cream cones as they shared their "best friends forever" pinky promise. No matter the subject matter, each photograph depicted both girls smiling from ear to ear out of pure joy of each others company.

Lee sighed as she reached the final photograph in the pile. Prior to flipping the previous picture to reveal it, she looked to the sky, and uttered a few words.

"What do I want for Christmas?," asked Lee, "...My best friend back."

At that point, Lee glanced back down towards the photographs and flipped the penultimate card to the bottom of the pile, revealing the final picture. This photograph depicted a young Lee and Lindsay standing in front of their lemonade stand. Lee was wearing a green dress, white leggings, and Mary Jane shoes. Her boisterous red curls hung well past her shoulders, and were held away from her eyes by a green head band. The young girl was wearing somewhat oversized black framed glasses, the broken nose piece of which was repaired with a significant amount of masking tape. Lee was displaying a radiant smile as she stood next to her best friend with her hands clasped behind her back.

Lindsay, standing to her left, was smiling brilliantly as well. The young blonde girl had not changed much in terms of appearance from her younger days, with the exception being the perceived length of her hair being shorter. She stood with her hips relaxed to the right, her right hand resting on her hip as her left hand hung towards the ground.

Lee stared at the photograph with watery eyes, focusing on her smiling best friend, as she uttered a few more words to herself.

"Lizzy, I know this isn't you," said Lee, "What did she do to you to make you this way? I wish you would have just told me, and we wouldn't be going through all this ugliness."

Lee stared at the photograph for a few more seconds, after which she gathered all of the photographs and placed them back into their envelope. With a tear running down her cheek, the tall, slim girl carried the photographs to her vanity, placed them into their designated drawer, and locked them away with the golden key typically stored under her pillow. She then climbed into her bed, removed her glasses (placing them in their case on the night stand for safe keeping), and turned out the lamp in preparation for sleep.


	34. Chapter 34

**Authors Note:**

 _Before we get started today, I wanted to once again thank all of the readers who have been keeping up with the story and leaving reviews you guys are the greatest!_

 _As promised, for the many who have questioned what Lindsay would sound like and who I would cast as a VA, the moment of truth has arrived. If I were running an animated production of the story, and had the resources to do so, I would choose to cast Grey DeLisle (Griffin) as Lindsay. I searched long and hard for the voice I envisioned for her look and character, and I believe Grey can pull it off. I imagine her ordinary, typical speaking voice sounding very similar to DeLisle's portrayal of Frankie Foster, and her slightly irritated "mean girl voice" sounding like Frankie's irritated voice. Her infuriated to wits-end, screaming voice would channel more of Vicky the Babysitters "growl." Young Lindsay in the flashbacks would be represented using a voice similar to Tootie's._

 _There you have it! Now on to chapter 34!_

 **Chapter 34**

It was 6:00 p.m Wednesday night. Rethink Avenue and it's surrounding blocks were darker and quieter than usual, the dominate source of light being the large ornate tree acting as the centerpiece of the cul-de-sac. Due to Peach Creek High Schools annual holiday talent show, set to begin in an hour, many of the families had flocked to the school to see their loved ones perform. This of course, included the entire Kanker family, the McGee family, and Double Dees family out of support for the Kankers. Due to Ed's father being away on a long haul to Idaho (set to be back in three days), only Ed's mother and Sarah represented Ed's family. The remaining children had also decided to attend to support their friends without the remainder of their families, Kevin's prime reason being to poke fun at his stout acquaintance.

The activity level of the parking lot, corridors, and auditorium of Peach Creek High were in stark contrast to the peace and tranquility of the cul-de-sac. Outside, a school security guard was directing the large influx of traffic to their parking spaces, and showing them to the main doors of the school. Inside, a few individuals from the student government sat at a table positioned near the door, admitting those who had pre-purchased their tickets, selling extra tickets to walk-ins, and providing raffle tickets for an opportunity to win a holiday chocolate basket.

The corridors had been segmented off by large roll-down gates, preventing patrons from accessing other portions of the school, and funneling them towards the auditorium. Due to it still being relatively early, the auditorium was sparsely populated, though parents and other students were flooding through the doors at an alarming rate.

Several of the first floor classrooms have been arranged to serve as "green rooms" for the night of the talent show, in which the participants could warm up and/or change into costume for their performance. In one such classroom, all of the desks had been pushed to the edges of the room to free up space. A tall mirror stood propped against the wall in one corner of the room, next to which hung an empty suit bag on a hanger. The four windows were cracked open and, due to it being a windy night, the shades were waving slightly in the chilly breeze.

It just so happened that Ed, Edd and Eddy had been provided this particular classroom to prepare for Eddy's ballet performance as the nutcracker prince. Eddy had fully changed into his custom, which Double Dee had altered using his sewing and tailoring skills to suit his frame. Eddy was currently dressed in a red long-sleeved jacket with golden buttons and epaulettes, exactly as a traditional nutcracker or British soldier would wear. On his legs, he wore a pair of jet black tights, and black dancers shoes. His thin hair was styled backward using gel, and his hands were covered with white gloves. Eddy appeared extremely distressed; his face was bright red and beads of sweat were rolling down his cheeks as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, pulling on his collar to relieve tension.

Double Dee was currently standing behind Eddy conducting final verification of the costumes fit while using a tailors tape to take measurements of Eddy's shoulder width. Ed stood further behind the two boys with his typical absent-minded expression, daydreaming about a new comic book collection he had read about the previous night in one of his magazines.

Double Dee lifted Eddy's left arm in the air to verify his sleeve length, after which he backed away and began speaking.

"Well, it appears all is in order," said Double Dee in an exuberant manner as he hung the tape around his neck, "I must say, I feel as though I am standing with the dancer that played the role of the prince in the production Marie and I watched on television a few days ago."

Double Dee giggled as Ed approached Eddy from behind.

"Good thing Eddy's a nutcracker, cause I'm in the mood for a munchie!" said Ed dopily as he reached into his pocket.

Ed searched around inside his pocket for a few moments, finding what he was searching for; a walnut. Ed walked towards Eddy, and placed the walnut in his mouth, situating it between his teeth. Eddy, too paralyzed with nervousness to notice, stood still as Ed took his right arm, pulled it behind his back and forced it down toward the ground with force as if it were a lever. Somehow, someway, cartoon physics caused Eddy's teeth to bite down on the walnut, splitting it in half and exposing the tender insides. Ed happily removed the cracked nut from Eddy's mouth, placed the edible portion in his mouth, and discarded the hard shell.

"Not too shabby!" said Ed as he smiled.

"Ed, I have no idea how you just did that," said Double Dee with a confused stare, "But I must admit that it was a clever use of the nutcracker euphemism!"

Double Dee giggled, after which he turned his attention back toward Eddy. He couldn't help but notice that Eddy had not been phased in the slightest by Ed's display, and he continued to stare into the mirror while sweating bullets.

"My word Eddy," said Double Dee, "You look as though you just spent twenty minutes in a sauna, are you feeling alright?"

Eddy swallowed rather hard, after which he quickly turned to face his nerdy friend.

"Am I okay!" yelled Eddy as he grabbed Double Dee by the shirt collar, "Look at me, I'm a nervous wreck! I'm about to go out on stage dressed like this and make a fool of myself. Everyone's gonna be there, I'll be the laughing stock of Peach Creek High."

"Calm your nerves Eddy," said Double Dee, "It's not like you to forgo your confidence in your abilities!"

"That's just it!" said Eddy frantically, "What if I mess up? I could fall off the stage or forget my steps and look like an idiot! Then everyone would be laughing twice as hard. My God I'm helpless."

Eddy turned back towards the mirror. As he did, his foot caught one of the laces on his left dance shoe, which had managed to come loose, causing him to trip and fall to the ground.

"Ed," said Eddy rather quietly as he laid on the ground, "Go get me a soda will ya?"

"Aye aye Eddy!" said Ed as he saluted his friend, after which he briskly ran out of the classroom to grab Eddy a refreshment.

Double Dee, being the observant individual he was, sensed that Eddy's frantic behavior might be caused by something more than pure nervousness. Just as he was about to pose a question, Eddy chimed in with a question of his own.

"Is he gone yet?" asked Eddy in a rather calm manner.

"Yes, he is." said Double Dee.

At that instant, Eddy jumped to his knees in front of Double Dee.

"I'm at a loss Double Dee," said Eddy, "I don't know what to do!"

Double Dee glanced down toward Eddy, noticing an expression he had seen only twice from his best friend: once when he confided in Double Dee that his selfish, antisocial personality was due to mistreatment from his brother after their encounter at Mondo-A-Gogo, and the other when he admitted his insecurities after destroying Edd and Marie's relationship. He proceeded to kneel down to engage Eddy at eye level.

"My word Eddy!" said Double Dee, "I had no idea that your nerves were bothering you this much. Is there something I can do to assist?"

Eddy stood up, looking into his friends eyes with a sincere, disheartened expression.

"I ain't gonna lie Double Dee," said Eddy, "I'm petrified. I'm afraid I'm gonna make a fool out of myself, mess up and worst of all I'm gonna let Lee down."

Double Dees eyes-widened at Eddy's previous statement.

"I've never met anyone like her Double Dee!" said Eddy, "Up until earlier this year I'd never thought I'd even want to be near her, but now I don't want anything else!"

Eddy paced back and forth as Double Dee observed his friend with concern.

"She's so smart, pretty, and nice." said Eddy, "There's nobody in the world I know that has a sexy badass streak on the outside, but as sweet and motherly as church girl on the inside. It's crazy, she's the first girl I've ever dated, and I never felt like this about anyone else before."

Eddy stopped pacing and glanced back toward Double Dee, looking his best friend in the eye.

"I think I love her Double Dee." said Eddy in a rather low tone of voice.

"Love her?" asked Double Dee, "Why Eddy, that's wonderful! What a delightful feeling to have about your significant other."

"Yeah," said Eddy as he blushed and looked toward his feet, "It's nice."

There was a pause, after which Eddy turned towards the mirror, glancing at Double De standing behind him through the reflection.

"I'm scared Double Dee," said Eddy, "I know I love Lee, but I don't know if she feels the same way about me. I mean, we do a lot of things together, she always helps me with homework and she always tells me I'm cute and that she always helps the people she cares about. Despite all of that , she never opens up about her emotions and, with the exception of one time, she has never told me anything about her childhood. We have been spending a lot of time together recently, but it's always been about Lee's plan to bring down Lindsay.

Eddy glanced toward one of the classrooms windows.

"I can't help but wonder if all of our time spent together is just because Lee is using me as part of her plan to get rid of Lindsay," said Eddy, "I know Lee, and ever since Lindsay moved to Peach Creek, she seems like she's been on edge. Lindsay's got her more spun up than anyone else I've ever seen get on her nerves, and for whatever reason she seems like she's got some kind of point to prove to her."

Double Dee bit his bottom lip, attempting to stifle his speech. Honesty is something that Double Dee held in highest regard, and with his knowledge of Lee and Lindsay's past courtesy of Marie, he knew the reason for Lee's behavior as explained by Eddy. Nevertheless, he did his best respect Marie's desire to keep it to himself, although he decided to attempt to talk around the issue in an attempt to help his friend.

"Eddy," said Double Dee, "I wouldn't worry too much over this ordeal. You must understand that Lee and Lindsay have an explosive past, and that Lee's emotions were substantially affected by Lindsay's actions. These emotional turmoils have obviously spilled over into the present day and have unfortunately managed to impact the holiday season."

"That's the other thing," said Eddy, "I thought and thought, and thought some more, but I can't figure out what to get Lee for Christmas. I want something that will make her really happy, something that will change her life. Something that will make her smile like she never smiled before."

"Eddy," said Double Dee as he smiled, "You do not know how happy I am to hear this. I had begun to think that the holiday spirit had completely left your heart. While I am glad to hear that you are still thinking about Lee's happiness and prosperity, I must remind you that your source of income for the holiday season has been severed due to quitting your job out of frustration."

Eddy sighed.

"I know Sockhead," said Eddy, "I know I said I was going to get Lee a custom winter ball gown, but the more and more I thought about it, I realized it was a stupid idea. Lee hates wearing dresses and skirts, and even though she's naturally pretty, she hates getting all dolled up like most girls. I know in the bottom of my heart that the whole winter ball queen thing is all because of Lindsay, and Lee's hatred for her. That's why I gave up on that, Lee deserves something better, something that she actually wants for herself."

Double Dee stood speechless, with a blank expression on his face as he listened to Eddy pour out his emotions.

"There is one thing you have to understand Double Dee," said Eddy, "I love Lee, and I never want to see her hurt. She has been frustrated beyond belief by Lindsay for the last few months, and I can't stand seeing her like that. You're right, I feel bad for lying to Rolf and using him to drive Lindsay away, and I promise moving forward that I will stop actively trying to trick him. But I will not lie, I'm not going to try to stop it, because it may just help Lee in the long run."

Eddy glanced at Double Dees reflection through the mirror.

"Even if Lee doesn't feel the same way about me, I love her and will do anything to make her happy and make her feel better." said Eddy, "Everything I do, I do it to help and protect her, you just remember that next time you pass judgement."

Double Dee and Eddy stood in silence for a few moments, at which point the wooden door to the classroom opened with an audible creak.

"Here's your soda Eddy!" yelled Ed exuberantly as he ran into the classroom, "And May said they're doing the final roll call of the performers back stage in five minutes, so you guys should come on out. I'll meet you guys out there!"

As quickly as Ed entered the room, he was gone on his way to meet May backstage. Eddy adjusted his collar one last time, after which he turned to face his intelligent best friend. With a smile he held his hand out to shake Double Dees.

"Double Dee, thanks for listening, you're a pal," said Eddy, "I know I can always count on you to be honest with me."

Double Dee said nothing. Realizing the irony of Eddy's statement and while struggling to maintain a smile of his own, he took Eddy's hand and shook it.

Eddy took a deep breath, after which he continued speaking.

"Well Sockhead," said Eddy, "What are we waiting for, it's showtime!"


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

A few minutes had passed since Eddy and Double Dee's heartfelt conversation. The Ed boys were currently making their way through the door to the back stage waiting area; the exuberant Ed being the first to enter. He had barreled through the door at a fast pace, a smile adorning his face as he made his way toward his Little May, who was currently standing with Marie. Double Dee soon followed, opening the door in a much gentler manner, being sure to hold it open for his stout best friend to enter behind him out of courtesy.

Eddy slowly but surely passed through the threshold, appearing as if he were in a catatonic state. Sweat continued to dribble down his face as he observed his surroundings. The stage itself was very large, around fifty feet wide, by twenty feet deep. The enormous red curtains, separating the auditorium from the stage, were currently closed. The dim lights mounted near the ceiling were the only source of light in the absence of the balcony spotlights that illuminated the stage when the curtains were open. Just inside the door, leaning against the wall was the ornate wooden set that Ed and May had spent the last week constructing, consisting of a fireplace with stockings decorated with sugar plums.

Whilst Eddy remained frozen as if he were statue, continuing to gauge his surroundings, Double Dee made his way over to Marie, May and Ed. Marie smiled as her boyfriend approached.

"Hey handsome!" said Marie, "Ready to turn the pages for me while I play the score?"

"Absolutely!" said Double Dee, "You can not begin to imagine how excited I am to see my friends perform the most famous portion of my favorite Christmas ballet. I must say, your score is very much impressive as are Ed and May's arts and crafts skills."

"Thanks sweets," said Marie, "I hope the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy turns out okay. Lee wouldn't let me practice it with her choreography. She kept saying nobody can see her sugarplum fairy until the night of the show, so I'm just gonna play it as written. If I know Lee, she'll adjust just fine."

"Where is Lee anyway?" asked May in a somewhat distressed tone, "It's almost time for the show to start!"

"She's still in the classroom doing last minute warm ups." said Marie.

"More warm ups?" asked May, "With all that pointe work, her feet are gonna be too sore to dance before the show even starts."

"Calm down knuckle head, her feet ain't gonna be sore," said Marie, "She's been doing it so long her feet are used to it. Why do you think she never wears open toed shoes, her feet are disgusting."

May giggled.

"Yeah," said May, "She does have bad ballerina feet."

Double Dee observed the two sisters share a laugh, feeling slightly awkward regarding the subject matter, after which he retrieved the talent show pamphlet, outlining all of the acts and the order in which they are performed from his pocket.

"Rest assured May," said Double Dee, "A few minutes of extra practice will not cause Lee to be tardy for her performance.

Double Dee unfolded the talent show pamphlet, at which point Ed, May and Marie gathered around to observe over his shoulder. Double Dee pointed at the list of acts with his right index finger.

"As you can see," said Double Dee, "There are eleven acts listed in the program, and the talent show has assigned Lee slot number six."

Marie leaned towards the pamphlet, and quickly scanned the text. It did not take long for her to find what she was looking for.

"And look who landed slot number five," said Marie, "Looks like Lindsay's on right before Eddy and Lee."

"Oh no!" said May in a rather distressed tone, "I was hoping Lee would go first so that Lindsay would see it and get all nervous!"

"Easy May," said Marie with a grin, "This is actually better! When that wannabe cheer leader comes off stage, she's gonna be smiling thinking she has it in the bag. But then Lee is gonna get on stage, blow everyone's mind, and it's going to sink her feelings like a lead balloon."

Double Dee raised his finger, and opened his mouth as if to interject. At that point, Marie placed her hand over his mouth, silencing him. She continued looking towards May, her face displaying a sarcastic grin, as she anticipated Double Dees thoughts and her need to respond with a rebuttal.

"Yes sweetie, I'm well aware that lead has a face-centered cubic structure, and a high atomic weight, which results in a density of 11.34 g/cm3 completely impractical for any application on which it would be required to be buoyant in air."

Marie took her hand away from Double Dees mouth, leaving the intelligent adolescent frozen in a state of confusion. Marie turned towards him, delivering a wink with a smile.

"I can't believe you're surprised," said Marie, "By now you should know I can read you like a book."

Marie giggled, leaving Double Dee speechless.

A few moments passed, at which point Ed and May decided to make quick run out to the hallway to enter themselves in the school raffle. As the two goofballs made their exit, Marie turned her attention to Eddy, who had not said a word in the five minutes he spent backstage. The small Ed boy was standing near the edge of the curtain, where it's folds met the side wall of the stage, intently staring at the red fabric.

"I gotta hand it to you sweetie," said Marie, "You did a great job tailoring that costume to Eddy's size."

"Thank you Marie," said Double Dee, "As you know, one of my most commonly assigned chores involves reinforcing the living room curtains with mothers sewing machine. I have also repaired a countless number of fathers shirts, and with a few modifications to my sewing technique, fitting Eddy's costume was quite simple."

"Well he looks good," said Marie as she lowered her voice and leaned into Double Dee, "But it doesn't look like he feels good."

"True," said Double Dee, "In the dressing room, Eddy revealed to me that he is in fact extremely nervous regarding his performance tonight. This is the first time Eddy has ever been on stage in front of a large crowd, and while he typical seems to be quite confident in his abilities, he is severely doubting himself tonight."

"Yeah" said Marie, "He seemed really freaked out over the fact that Kevin and the rest of the other guys are going to be here making fun of him."

"On the contrary Marie," said Double Dee, "The prime factor causing Eddy's nervousness is his fear of forgetting his steps or otherwise incurring errors that will destroy the performance and disappoint Lee."

"Really?" said Marie, "Wow, I thought he was becoming frustrated to wits end with Lee's overbearing nature."

"I am guilty of that assumption as well," said Double Dee, "Eddy's frustrations are due to the fact he feels powerless to help Lee in her time of need. He has noticed Lee's behavior when she is around Lindsay, and ignorant to their past, he assumed that the only way to help Lee was to do anything he could to drive Lindsay away."

Double Dee paused.

"I am also happy to report that Eddy has given up on attempting to instill false hope that Lindsay will return Rolf's affections." said Double Dee.

"That's great," said Marie, "It looks like things are calming down slightly. It's great that Eddy opened up to you about all of that. Holding feelings in can cause a person to do reckless things."

"Absolutely," said Double Dee, "I'm just glad that Eddy realized the error of his ways and ceased assisting in Rolf's pursuit of Lindsay. The plan was due to end in disaster, and I am glad that it had been discontinued before the situation escalated."

Double Dee glanced toward Eddy as he continued.

"I can only hope that the little time Eddy spent executing his plan did not plant proverbial seeds of destruction." said Double Dee.

"I wouldn't worry cutie," said Marie, "It's only a matter of time until Lee tells Eddy the truth. Between you and me, she wouldn't shut up about this big date they supposedly planned tonight. I get the feeling that she's planning to open up to him over dinner."

"That would certainly alleviate much of the stress in the cul-de-sac." said Double Dee, "As you know, I am not supportive of dishonesty or negativity in the slightest, and it is quite hard for me not to take action based upon the knowledge you passed on to me."

Marie smacked Double Dee in the arm playfully.

"Oh come on cutie," said Marie, "You can go without being Mr. Perfect for a while. Besides, trust me it's for the good of the cause."

Double Dee said nothing as Marie wrapped her arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I just hope Eddy can loosen up a bit before his performance," said Marie, "He's gonna loose all of his hair before he turns twenty."

Marie giggled as a Double glanced towards Eddy. The small Ed boy remained staring at the curtain, tugging on his collar to relieve tension. A few moments passed, at which point Eddy reached his right hand towards the curtain, opening it slightly to take a peak out into the audience.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Peering through the curtain gap, Eddy was treated to a birds eye view of the entire auditorium. The school auditorium was filled with an abundance of seats, around 800, which were arranged in rows in front of the stage. Each row progressing toward the rear of the auditorium was slightly higher than the rest, in an effort to facilitate unobstructed views. The seats were covered with red padding, and were of the fold up variety, not unlike those that could be found in a movie theater.

The auditorium ceiling was around forty feet high. Suspended from the ceiling were several three bladed steel industrial ceiling fans, spinning slowly to direct the heated air coming from the four large circular diffusers down to the patrons. The right wall of the auditorium was lined with five large double hung windows, all of which were closed to keep the cold air out.

The entrance doors were located on the left wall of the auditorium. There were three sets of doors, and patrons eager to watch tonight's performance were flooding in at an alarming rate. Even though it would be twenty minutes before the lights dimmed, signaling the curtain to open for the first act, the auditorium was already quite full.

Rolf had taken a seat almost directly in the middle of the room. The eccentric boy had decided to once again don a suit and tie for the occasion; however unlike Eddy's eyesore of a suit provided to Rolf in the school bathroom, this particular set of garments looked quite distinguished. It consisted of a blue jacket, blue pants, black shoes, and a matching blue tie. In addition, Rolf had decided to slick his hair back, using gel provided by Eddy a few days prior. He sat still, cradling a large, didgeridoo-like object between his legs as he smiled.

It did not take long for Kevin, arriving with his girlfriend Nazz, to locate Rolf. Kevin was dressed in his typical winter attire; a thick orange hoodie, blue jeans, brown boots, and of course his signature red baseball cap. Nazz decided to wear a purple winter coat with imitation white fur trim around the wrists, a pink scarf, and mauve gloves. She cradled a black purse in her right hand as she walked directly beside Kevin down the auditorium aisle.

Upon reaching Rolf's row, Kevin and Nazz made their way towards Rolf's position.

"Yo Rolf!" said Kevin as he took a seat directly next to his friend, with Nazz taking a seat next to Kevin, "What's with the monkey suit? It's only a school talent show dude, not the great opera."

"Do you not like?" asked Rolf, "Rolf has been doing much reading on this countries bizarre rituals of courtship. Rolf has read that to attract the attention of the female, the male must dress themselves up in these strange garments that make Rolf's neck feel as though it is being rung as Nana does with the chickens."

"Let me guess," said Kevin, "You're still trying to impress that Lindsay girl?"

"Boy Kevin," said Rolf rather melodramatically, "You do not know how much Rolf's heart yearns for Lizzy. Since the first day Rolf had laid eyes on the beautiful woman with the hair as lovely as the daisies that mama keeps in the backyard, Rolf has wanted nothing more than to kiss her under the Yaks membrane over the feast."

"Right," said Kevin sarcastically, "I probably am an idiot for even asking, but what the hell is that thing between your legs."

"Hoho," said Rolf as he lifted the tube up with both of his hands, "It is the Horn of Support. In Rolf's home country, it is customary after a loved ones performance to blow the horn to let them know that they have done a great job. My beautiful Schmetlockin likes to embrace the cultures of the foreign, and Rolf will use this to show his support after her performance."

Rolf moved the end of the tube toward his mouth.

"Observe," said Rolf at which point he touched the instrument to his lips, and blew as hard as he could. The result was a deafening, obnoxious noise, an ugly sound that sounded quite similar to flatulence. As soon as Rolf sounded the instrument, Kevin covered his ears as did Nazz and many other students within the vicinity. Every individual in the auditorium was quite surprised at the display and turned their attention toward Rolf with an angry stare.

After blowing for five seconds, Rolf removed the horn from his mouth and placed it back between his legs with a smile, leaving everyone in the auditorium staring in his direction with confusion. After a few seconds, everyone returned to their ordinary business of finding their seats and mingling with friends. Rolf looked towards Kevin.

"Rolf does not lie yes," said Kevin.

"Whatever dude, knock yourself out." said Kevin as he reached under his seat to retrieve a black case he had brought with him, "All's I know is I finally got the perfect opportunity to put this baby to use."

Kevin unzipped the black case and removed a silver digital video camera. He removed the lens cap and glanced through the lens, attempting to secure a perfect view of the stage.

"This baby's got all the bells and whistles and editing software to boot," said Kevin, "I'll be sure to get Dorkie's good side when he takes the stage. This will be the perfect payback for his little video of my season ending interception last fall."

As the two boys shared a laugh, Nazz seemed less than amused. She sat resting her cheek on the palm of her hand, as her elbow rested on one of the chairs armrests, with an annoyed expression on her face.

"Boys..." said Nazz sarcastically as she continued staring towards the stage.

Nazz was quickly broken out of her trance by the sound of a familiar voice.

"Hiya Nazz!" said Jonny as he took a seat directly next to the blonde girl, "You excited for the talent show? Plank and I surely are!"

"Oh hey Jonny!" said Nazz, "It should be fun! I just won't be able to stomach what Lindsay did to the cheer squad."

"Yeah, she is a spoil sport!" said Jonny in his typical exuberant manner.

Jonny glanced around Nazz to obtain sight of Kevin and Rolf. Once ensuring that the duo was distracted, laughing at Eddy's expense, he leaned towards Nazz.

"So HH," said Jonny, adapting his superhero persona, "The melon code recognizes that family comes first, and accepts assisting in charitable donations at the brotherhood of police officers with your family in the city as a valid excuse for your absence from patrol last night."

Jonny paused briefly.

"However," said Jonny, "I do have an interesting update regarding that case we have been following that I was unable to inform you of until now."

"Really?" asked Nazz, "Please share!"

"Well it just so happens that our intuitions may in fact be correct," said Jonny, "The other day, I turned the hallway corner, and caught Eddy carrying some pictures of Lindsay. He was looking all around like he was afraid of being caught, so I used my melon scope to zoom in on the pictures, and they were signed "For you my Love -Lindsay"

The display Jonny saw was, in fact, part of Eddy's desperate attempt at Lindsay deterrence. He had stolen the photographs out of a teenage fashion magazine, blown them up, printed them out, and attempted to forge a message to Rolf from Lindsay. Jonny had caught Eddy in one of his final acts pertaining to his abandoned plan; transporting the pictures and placing them in Rolf's locker.

"Oh my God," said Nazz as she placed her hand over her mouth, "I can't believe it."

"You know we do have to take appropriate action to ensure that no good citizens feelings are hurt." said Nazz.

"I know," said Nazz in a melancholy tone as she grabbed her forehead with her hand, "All this negativity is giving me a headache. How about we enjoy the talent show tonight, and figure out how to break the bad news to Lee tomorrow night."

"Understood, HH," said Jonny, "For if there be a..."

"Jonny, that means canning the whole superhero thing for the night too." said Nazz.

"Gotcha," said Jonny as he winked and held of the "OK" sign with his right hand.

A few seconds passed, after which Jonny decided to pose another question.

"Hey, where's Julia at?" asked Jonny, "I thought she and your mom were coming tonight too."

"They're here," said Nazz, "They're out trying to find a parking space, I told them I'd save them two seats."

"See buddy!" said Jonny as he glanced at his wooden friend, "I told ya she'd be here. Planks got a ton of new jokes her wants to tell, and he knows that Julia is definitely his biggest fan!"

Nazz sighed heavily as she placed her palm over her face, slid it down slowly past her chin, and sunk down into her seat.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Elsewhere in the auditorium, closer to the stage, Rod and Tabby had arrived and taken their seats in preparation for their daughters performance. Tabby had decided to wear a red sweater, blue jeans and black winter boots, very much like the ones Lee typically preferred to wear. Rod elected to wear blue jeans as well, a pair of black shoes on his feet, and a black long-sleeved shirt. He had also decided to wear a thick blue zip-up outer jacket. On the jackets left chest area was a small version of the patch of his fire house. On the back of the jacket was a larger version of the patch; the logo depicted a cartoon drawing of a heavily muscled Irishman holding a fire hose in his hand. On the man's arm was an exaggerated tattoo that read "PFD". Above the cartoon the words "Engine 6 - Ladder 16" were written in red font; below the cartoon, the stations slogan, "The House of the Rising Sun" was written (a clever use of the Animals song title, as well as the fact that the street the station was located on in the city was called Rising Sun Avenue).

A few seconds after taking her seat, Tabby opened up her copy of the talent show program, glancing over it for a few moments, before turning towards Rod.

"Well, this is long overdue," said Tabby, "Going to see our daughter perform at a school function. Most parents have already had this experience multiple times by the time their kids were Annalee's age."

Tabby giggled.

"Yeah, I'll admit, it feels a little alien," said Rod, "But I'm definitely glad to see Annalee branching out and trying new things. I mean, just a few months ago, we were worried about her potentially winding up in prison, now we're rooting for her to win a talent show. I'd call that a win."

"Most definitely," said Tabby, "She's overcome so much, it's great to see her flourish. I just wish I could have enjoyed these moments a little sooner. Imagine if I could have gotten her ballet lessons? We would have been doing this every week, and she probably would have already found herself on a running production given the natural talent she's blessed with."

"Tab, remember don't fret on the past," said Rod, "Things were obviously meant to happen this way, and as we see now patience eventually paid off. Let's just focus on the here and now."

Tabby appeared heartbroken for a brief moment, after which she looked to the sky and let her feelings out.

"I just wish Dad was here to see her like this," said Tabby, "He'd be so happy."

"Don't worry Tab," said Rod as he touched his shoulder to hers, "He's watching and smiling from Heaven."

Tabby glanced toward Rod with a smile, after which she turned her attention to the stage.

At that point, Tabby caught a glimpse of an individual in her peripheral vision. Her instincts caused her to turn and glance up towards the figure; at that instant, the smile that had previously adorned her face disappeared, and was replaced by a neutral expression.

Standing around ten feet away, in the auditorium aisle was a petite woman, around 5'5" tall with a slender frame. She wore a pair of black designer winter boots (the "hot highly expensive Christmas fashion item), and a pair of skin tight blue jeans. Covering her torso was a grey winter coat. From its sleeves the woman's black glove-covered hands emerged, somewhat contrasting with the color of the trim. The woman's brunette hair was styled in a "pixie cut", and combed slightly to the right side. She maintained a sarcastic grin on her face as she began making her way through the aisle, intent on passing Tabby to take an empty seat further down the row.

Tabby's eyes remained locked on the woman with an angry glare as she passed her position. As the woman approached she decided to initiate a conversation.

"Tabitha Kanker," said the woman, "Didn't think you were important enough for me to remember your name did you?"

"Edyta Babik," said Tabby, "It's true I didn't think you would remember my name, but I would have went with the fact that it was probably out of stupidity than your importance. By the way for your information, it's Tabitha Lonergan now."

Tabby raised her left hand in the hair to show off her wedding band with a sarcastic smile.

"Oh please Hun," said Edyta, "You call that wedding ring? You obviously haven't met _Ms. Statorowski_ yet."

Edyta removed the black glove covering her left hand. On her left ring finger was a large diamond mounted on an ornate wedding band. She snickered as she held out the jewelry for Tabby to see.

"You twisted bitch," said Tabby, "You managed to pull it off. To be fair, you've always been one to take advantage of the weak, but I'd at least thought you'd be honest with yourself by now."

"What can I say?" said Edyta with a sarcastic smile, "It's survival of fittest. A ladies gotta know how to get self further in world, and if looks, manipulation, and some lies are gonna get me everything I need in world then so be it. I still beat you to alter by ten years."

Edyta laughed, much to Tabby's annoyance. She paused for a brief second, at which point she decided to continue with her antagonistic rhetoric.

"I take it you're out here to see little clone dance that silly little ballet thing," said Edyta, "Not that it matters, cause Lindsay's got this in bag. Everyone loves her, just like everyone loved me."

"Right," said Tabby, "If you call being feared loved."

"Fear works just as well," said Edyta, "You'd be surprised how much power one can derive from guilt. It can really keep things under thumb."

Edyta snickered sarcastically at her previous statement, at which point Tabby rose up out of seat to meet her at eye level.

"You sick bastard," said Tabby as she agressively pointed towards her face, "You better not be doing anything to that poor girl, especially making her think that it was her fault!"

Edyta remained still, a sarcastic smile adonrning her face as Tabby continued to gaze upon her with an angry stare. A few moments passed, at whoch point Tabby decided to continue,

"Look, you got what you wanted," said Tabby, "They hate each other, wasn't that your goal?"

"My goal was to ensure that anyone associated with me does not associate withfilth that you created for yourself." said Edyta, "I'm surprised you're that stupid, even after all the _wonderful_ times we spent together in school."

Edyta laughed sarcastically at her previous statement, as Tabby clenched her fists out of anger.

"The foolish things that plague one generation don't need to spill into another." said Tabby, "I know you take pride in this miserable existence you created, but you had no right to drag that sweet innocent girl down with you."

Edyta snickered.

"Whatever works," said Edyta as she leaned towards Tabbys ear, "I've gotten away with it this long, so why stop?"

Edyta snickered as she began walking away from Tabby, pausing after taking a few steps.

"Oh by the way Raggedy Anne," said Edyta, "Glad to see that hair came back nice and thick!"

Edyta laughed maniacally as she continued on her way down the aisle, eventually taking her seat on the other side of the auditorium. Tabby retook her seat, angry, yet calm and collected as Rod grabbed her hand in a laced finger hold.

Within five minutes, the auditorium was almost completely filled. The lights were set to go out in two minutes, at which point the student body president would take the podium to formally kick off the annual high school tradition.

Backstage, only Double Dee, Eddy and Marie remained. With a quick check of the time, Double Dee decided that he and Marie should head down to grab a seat, and watch the show until it was time to mount the piano for Lee and Eddy's performance.

Double Dee approached his short best friend, who was currently staring out at the audience through the curtain.

"Excuse me Eddy." said Double Dee, attempting get his attention.

Eddy, startled as if he had seen a ghost, let go of the curtain and quickly turned to face his friend.

"Yeah Sockhead, what's up?" asked Eddy, barely able to get the words out of his mouth and sweating bullets.

"Marie and I are going to go down to the auditorium to watch the production, as only active participants are allowed back stage once the show starts," said Double Dee, "I just wanted to remind you that you may want to, at some time, head out to the classrooms to check on Lee. Being as passionate as she is about her performance, she may loose track of time and inadvertently miss her performance."

At that point, a familiar tough-talking female voice rang out from behind.

"What do you think, I'm some kind of idiot? I know how to read a watch."

The voice was quite familiar to all three individuals, and recognizable as Lee Kanker. However, upon turning around to face the source of the voice, all three teenagers were taken aback as the appearance of the individual did not match the voice in the slightest

Standing before them was the tall, thin figure of Lee, her right hand rested on her left as her left arm hung towards the ground. She was wearing a light pink ballet tutu, with an attached white bodice. The thin white straps of the bodice passed over her shoulders to her back and fit her figure quite nicely. Her legs were covered with white tights, and on her feet were pink pointe shoes.

Lee had removed her glasses, tied her red curls up in a high, tight bun, and placed a silver tiara sat atop her head to complete the costume. She and her sisters had spent an hour perfecting her makeup, and their efforts were most definitely worth it. Lee's face, while still adorned with sarcasm, radiated under the stage lights; the makeup surrounding her eyes also seemed to make her blue eyes sparkle much more than usual.

Due to the surprise of seeing Lee not only in traditionally "extremely feminine clothing", but also dolled up beyond belief, all three individuals stood in silence having no idea how to react. Eddy, especially, appeared as if his jaw were about to drop to the floor.

A few seconds passed, after which Lee finally decided to reply.

"What the hell's the matter, ain't any of ya's seen the Sugarplum Fairy before?"


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

Around a half hour had passed since Edd and Marie had left the stage to take their seats in the audience, and the talent show was in full swing. The auditorium was pitch black, with the exception of the stage which was fully illuminated by two large spotlights located on the balcony.

Eddy's large, somewhat stern father, and his rather overbearing yet loving mother had taken their seats in the left wing of the auditorium. While Eddy's father wasn't thrilled about his son dancing ballet, he was happy that his son was a gentlemen, and willing to go to any length to make his girlfriend happy; a trait which he held in high regard.

Elsewhere, Ed's happy-go-lucky mother sat with her hands folded, smiling happily as she observed each students performance. To her right sat a highly unenthusiastic Sarah, who would have much rather stayed at home and baked cookies with her best friend Jimmy. She was currently leaning back in her chair, with her elbow resting on the armrest and her cheek resting on her fist. Jimmy himself had also tagged along with Ed's family; as was the case with Ed's mother, the young boy smiled joyously, not only for his love of theater, but also for his innocent love of the Christmas season.

Nazz's mother and Julia had successfully found a parking space, and had found their way to the two seats Nazz had been saving for them. While Julia had inherited Nazz's mothers personality, Nazz had inherited more of her fathers calm, cool, and collected personality. Accordingly, while Ms. Van Bartonschmeer and Julia happily paged through the program anticipating the next act, Nazz remained neutral, leaning her head on Kevin's shoulder. Although she was excited to see the show, especially Lee and Eddy's act, she couldn't help but find herself upset at what had become of her beloved cheer squad.

The fourth act was finishing up, and consisted of a group of four sophomores. The four boys had started a heavy metal band, and had arranged a set of five traditional Christmas songs into the hard rock style. While the boys idea was quite creative and of good nature, the obnoxious music did impress the audience as planned.

Backstage, Eddy and Lee remained in their positions, standing in the area that would be called "stage left." Lee, while rather nervous herself, remained completely calm and collected, holding her boyfriends hand in a laced finger hold as they stood in the darkness. Eddy had hardly moved a muscle, and continued to appear as if he had just eaten an entire plate of hot chicken wings. His face was bright red, and he appeared to clear his throat every few minutes. Lee glanced down, noting Eddy's nervousness, at which point she briefly squeezed his hand, signaling him to look up. Lee simply stared down into his eyes with a smile, silently letting him know that "everything's going to be fine".

Within seconds, the band had finally completed their set. The band struck their final chord as the lead singer raised his hands in the air, outstretching his pinky and index finger in a common "rock salute". As Eddy and Lee watched the band demobilize, with the crowd delivering their applause, a familiar voice chimed in from behind the two.

"Wow, if the audience thinks these losers were good, I most certainly have this in the bag!"

The two teenagers turned around at the sound of the voice, unenthusiastically laying eyes on who they had expected to see: Lindsay Statorowski. Lindsay had changed into her cheer outfit in preparation for her performance. The outfit consisted of an orange skirt, a white long-sleeved shirt with the Peach Creek High School logo, and light blue sneakers. She stood with her right hand resting on her hip, with her hip relaxed to the right as she remained fixated on the stage with a sarcastic grin. Standing behind Lindsay was the remainder of the cheer squad; the twenty additional girls were all dressed in similar outfits to Lindsay, and had gathered into a large crowd in the corner of the waiting area.

Lee turned towards Lindsay with a sarcastic expression of her own.

"Gee Lindsay," said Lee, "I would have thought you would have been out here when the first act started providing your oh so interesting feedback. Nice to hear your wit is still intact, I guess that means you ain't nervous about blowing it."

Lindsay, like Edd, Eddy and Marie before her, was taken aback upon hearing Lee's voice emanate from the mouth of the girl she saw standing before her. Her face maintained an expression of shock for a few seconds, as she had briefly failed to recognize her former friend. It wasn't until she noticed Eddy standing next to Lee in costume, that she shook off her confusion and regained her calm, collected demeanor.

"So you finally gave in and decided to actually act a little feminine for once." said Lindsay as she circled around Lee, checking out her costume, "I'm not one to be easily impressed, but I have to admit you really came around and pulled this one off quite well."

Lindsay ceased circling Lee, eventually taking a position directly in front of the red headed girl, leaning into her face. Due to both girls being the same height (5'9"), their eyes were able to with little effort.

"But a dolled up face and pretty little pink dress isn't gonna be enough to beat me." said Lindsay, "The whole freshman class knows my name, and nobody knows you except for the dork parade."

"It's called a tutu, moron," said Lee, "I'm surprised you didn't know that, I figured being a prissy debutante and of supposed higher social status you'd be a little more cultured."

"Like, grow up Annalee!" said Lindsay in a long, drawn out manner, "I mean c'mon, that ballet stuff is for little girls. I took lessons when I was six, and quit when I was eight. I needed to focus on real dancing, you know."

"Well, let's just see if all that focus paid off." said Lee sarcastically, " Good luck, and break a leg. Literally."

"Thanks," said Lindsay, "But I won't be needing it Hun."

At that point, the student body president took the podium and announced that it was time for the fifth act, "A special presentation by the Peach Creek High School Cheer Squad, lead by Captain Lindsay Statorowski."

"Well, Geek Girl," said Lindsay, "Looks like I'm needed elsewhere. Sorry I have to go first, but somebody's gotta set the bar high. See ya later, losers."

Lindsay turned around, signaling all the remaining girls to follow her onto the stage by snapping her fingers. The girls sprung into action without hesitation, as following her is if they were dogs on a leash.

"Enjoy the spotlight while you got it!" yelled Lee, "Cause the audience is gonna get a taste of real talent instead of fake showboating when I take the stage."

Lindsay said nothing, but continued walking as her face displayed a cheeky grin. Within seconds, the girls had arranged themselves to perform their dance routine, with Lindsay of course being front and center. As she ensured that all of the girls were in their proper places, she briefly turned towards Lee one last time, and delivered a sarcastic wink. Lee merely stood her ground, refusing to react to Lindsay's gesture.

As Lindsay turned her attention back toward the area of the audience, awaiting the curtain to open, her face adopted an expression of sadness. She looked toward the ceiling, closing her eyes as if she were in deep thought, only opening them when she sensed the bright lights of the balcony spotlights beginning to shine through the retracting curtains.

As the curtains opened, revealing the Lindsay and the entire cheer squad, a significant amount of students (mostly from the sports teams the cheer squad supported) proceeded to deliver applause. Lindsay stood with her hands on her hips as she displayed an exuberant smile, with the remainder of the girls following suit.

Out in the audience, Nazz remained emotionless as she watched the curtain unveil her former source of pride. Kevin sitting directly next to Nazz, appeared equally lethargic, as his sole purpose for attending was to view Eddy's performance.

Rolf, however, seemed quite excited for the upcoming performance. The eccentric boy was smiling happily, and clapping as loud as he could for his "Beautiful Schmetlockin". The boy leaned forward in his seat, his eyes laser focused on the object of his affections, as he became lost in his own little world of love.

As the applause began to die down, Julia leaned into Nazz's ear and began to whisper.

"Hey Nancy, how come you're not up there?" asked Julia in a rather air-headed manner, "I thought the cheer squad was your life."

"It was," said Nazz, "Until Ms. Perfect up there became Captain and started treating people like crap. She's nothing but a bully and a control freak, and I couldn't stand being around her."

"Ugh, I hate bullies," said Julia, "They're, like, so mean. That's seriously uncool. That's too bad about the cheer team though. I would have thought you would have been elected captain. I mean, at the beginning of the school year, every time we talked on the phone you said all the girls thought your routines were the best, and you had all kinds of plans to make the team better. I mean, it's gotta sting that they would suddenly change..."

"Julia," said Nazz in a monotone voice.

"Yes Nancy?" asked Julia.

"Just shut up and watch the show." said Nazz.

"Watching!" said Julia as she turned back towards the stage, taking hint of Nazz's desire not to talk about the hostile takeover of the cheer squad.

Just as the Van Bartonschmeer sisters completed their conversation, the sound of a famous song by a female, 90's pop musician began playing loudly over the auditorium loud speakers. As the music played, the cheer squad began executing "pop and lock" dance moves in synch. Lindsay herself led the group in a "call and response" manner, with Lindsay executing the moves, and the remainder of the girls following in suit shortly thereafter.

After around a minute of executing synchronized dance moves, the girls split up in groups of threes and began executing various acrobatic maneuvers involving lifts. As the girls continued their routine, Lindsay remained front and center, executing her own dance moves while delivering flirty smiles and winks to the audience.

As Kevin watched the performance, bored beyond belief, he decided to comment on the situation.

"This is so stupid," said Kevin, "This is supposed to be a talent show, not another performance of the same routine we get at every football game."

Kevin rose up out of his seat, and turned towards Rolf.

"C'mon Rolf," said Kevin, "Let's blow this lame fest and go out to the hallway and get some sodas from the snack stand. By the time we get back, it'll be time for Dorkie to take the stage."

Kevin began walking away from Rolf's position, taking two steps through the aisle before realizing that Rolf had not moved a single muscle. Kevin turned back towards his friend, who remained in his place watching the show as if he were in a trance. The red-hatted Jock returned to Rolf position, and leaned into his ear.

"Hello, earth to Rolf!" yelled Kevin, attempting to overpower the loud pop music.

Despite Kevin's more direct approach, Rolf still did not respond to the jocks proposal. Rather, the boy remained focused on the stage, in particular the blonde haired girl currently conducting her performance.

While Lindsay had no musical rhythm, or talent for dancing whatsoever, Rolf's imagination told a completely different story. While loud music filled the auditorium, from Rolf's point of view the auditorium was completely silent; in his mind, the auditorium was completely empty with the exception of himself. Likewise, the remaining members of the cheer squad had disappeared, leaving Lindsay as the sole performer.

Rolf watched as Lindsay seemed to dance in slow motion. The girls eyes sparkled under the lights of the auditorium, as they remained focused on Rolf's as she danced. In the boys mind, Lindsay was a much more talented dancer; she rocked her shoulders and gyrated her hips with fluidity as she smiled, delivered winks, and blew kisses in Rolf direction.

Lindsay suddenly paused, facing Rolf as she voluptuously puckered her lips. Rolf watched as she began unzipping the top of her cheer outfit, all the while grinning seductively. As she finished unzipping the uniform, she placed both of her hands on the zipper seam and began pulling the two halves of the shirt part, revealing her abdomen.

Rolf's fantasy took quite the unexpected turn when, just as Lindsay's breasts were about to be exposed, countless cuts of chicken, pork, beef, and octopus tentacles, not unlike those that decorated Rolf's house around the holiday season, began pouring out of the interior of of Lindsay's clothing. Rolf watched in awe as the meats began filling the auditorium, as Lindsay leaned her head upwards as if she was experiencing an insurmountable amount of pleasure.

"Rolf..." whispered Lindsay in a sultry voice.

Rolf remained fixated in his dreams for another second, after which the true source of the voice was finally able to get through to the love crazed boy.

"Yo Rolf!" yelled Kevin, breaking Rolf out of his trance, "C'mon man let's go, or we're gonna miss out on Eddy's performance."

Rolf glanced at Kevin with an air of confusion, after which he turned his attention back towards the stage. The music had changed from a pop tune, to that of a dance tune, the lyrics of which detailed the life of a famous blonde doll.

"No thank you Boy Kevin," said Rolf as he smiled dreamily, "For Rolf must remain seated to watch his Beautiful Schmetlockin and her strange yet satisfying movement of the hip joints."

"Whatever man," said Kevin, "I gotta make a note to get ya to a shrink after tonight, cause you're getting sick."

Kevin passed Rolf's position, on his way out to the snack stand, but not before inviting Nazz, who gladly followed due to her aggravation with the performance.

A few minutes passed, after which the girls performed one final lift routine in groups of six. The girls then lined up in rank and file, performing one final synchronized dance, after which Lindsay began walking towards stage left in stride with the music, swaying her hips as she smiled and waved to the audience. The rest of the group began demobilizing one-one-one, with the left half of the group following Lindsay off of the stage, and the right half exiting to the other side. As the girls exited the stage, the audience delivered obligatory applause, the loudest of which came from Ms. Statorowski and Rolf. As the last two girls exited the stage, the music faded out and the curtains began to close.

Back stage, Lee and a very nervous Eddy remained in their positions at stage had watched the entire performance, and like the remainder of the children of the cul-de-sac (with the exception of Rolf) they found it relatively unimpressive. As Lindsay exited the stage, she immediately honed in on Lee's position, making her way over to the ballerina with a witty smile.

As Lindsay approached, Lee placed her hand over her mouth, pretending to yawn as if to make fun of Lindsay's act.

"You can deny it all you want," said Lindsay, "But you know yourself that your little boring ballet routine is gonna be the act that puts the audience to sleep."

"We'll see about that," said Lee, "Looks to me like half the audience scattered during your performance, I guess they wanted to see something new, not the same boring cheer routine they see every Friday."

"Wow, harsh," said Lindsay, "Don't lash out at little old me cause people want to see hip modern dances to exciting music, and not a Sugarplum Doofus spinning around to boring old people music."

Lindsay laughed as she began walking towards the door leading out to the hallway.

"Well, I guess I should extend the same courtesy to you as you did to me, and wish you good luck!" said Lindsay, "You're gonna need it if you want to beat me in a popularity contest!"

Lee said nothing, completely ignoring Lindsay's foolish antics. She continued to hold Eddy's hand, who appeared to be in a catatonic state, as she watched the blonde girl make her way out the door into the school corridor.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

At the same time that Lindsay and the cheer squad were leaving the stage, Double Dee and Marie had began making their way towards the piano in preparation for Lee and Eddy's performance. The school piano was located at the base of the stage, on the left side of the auditorium. Due to the only available seats being in the very back of the auditorium at the time the couple had decided to leave Eddy and Lee back stage, the two adolescent's were forced to make their way to the front of the auditorium in almost complete darkness. The two teenagers bobbed and weaved through aisles, ensuring to keep their heads down to avoid obstructing patrons views, eventually reaching their destination.

Upon reaching piano, Marie placed the folder containing the score for the Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux down on the piano bench, and began quietly removing the cover. Double Dee, being quite knowledgable of musical instruments and culture, instantly identified it as a Steinway concert grand. Being a concert grand, it's rich harmonics and ability to project sound, even in the pianissimo dynamic, made it quite suitable as the centerpiece for the large auditorium.

Double Dee watched as Marie retracted the wooden lid, revealing the eighty eight well maintained imitation ivory keys. She then opened the folder containing the music score, and placed it on the rest atop the piano. Lastly, she activated a small clip-on light mounted on the music stand, in the interest of seeing the music in the darkness, and took a seat at the bench. Double Dee quietly opened the lid to the piano, securing it in the fully open position with the lid prop for maximum sound.

Once all of the preparations were in order, Double Dee took a seat next to Marie, preparing to turn the pages for her as promised. Marie placed her hands on the keys, taking care not to actually press them, and ran a few quick practice scales. Once she had finished, she sighed, turned towards Double Dee and whispered.

"Well, sweetie," whispered Marie, "It's almost showtime."

"It appears so," said Double Dee, "Isn't it invigorating?"

"It is," said Marie, "But I have to admit, I am a little nervous myself."

"Marie," said Double Dee, "I can assure you that you have absolutely nothing to be nervous about. You are a fantastic pianist, and I am sure that you will deliver a terrific rendition of Tchaikovsky's work."

"Thanks Double Dee," said Marie, "Sorry, for the uneasiness, but is my first time performing in front of a crowd, and even though it's not really my performance, I know Lee and Eddy are counting on me to do a great job."

"And a great job you will do." said Double Dee as he removed the music score from the folder, and opened it to the first page, "May I suggest the proverbial imagining the audience in their underwear?"

Double Dee giggled slightly.

"Ugh," said Marie, "I'll pass. A very rare instance my Oven Mitt actually has a bad idea."

Marie giggled, at which point both teenagers noticed the student body president taking her place at the podium to announce the next act.

"With that thought, I will merely wish you good luck," said Double Dee, "I'm sure you won't be needing it."

"You're the best sweetie," said Marie, "I'm all set and ready to play, thanks again for being my page turner."

"Anything for you Marie." said Double Dee.

Marie simply smiled, and turned her attention back to the keyboard, continuing to stretch her fingers for her upcoming performance.

At the same time that Double Dee and Marie were preparing the piano, Eddy and Lee were standing backstage, conducting final preparations for their performance. Eddy was currently standing in an upright position, his neck held high and his arms held down, as Lee kneeled down to his eye level to adjust his collar. She stood up straight, ensuring that her boyfriend looked presentable, after which she placed her hands on her hips.

"Well sweetie," said Lee, "It's just about show time. Ready to show off those dancing skills and beat that no good cheerleader Barbie wannabe!"

Eddy attempted to speak, but to no avail. In lieu of words, the only sound that Eddy was able to muster up was that of a hard swallow. Nevertheless, he was able to train his eyes toward Lee, as he continued to sweat, and produce a slight smile.

Lee had taken note of Eddy's severe nervousness since she first arrived backstage. She giggled ever-so-slightly, at which point she kneeled down to look Eddy in the eye.

"Hey you," said Lee in a gentle motherly voice, "Before we go out there, I just wanted to say thank you for doing this. You don't know how happy it makes me feel that, not only did you step out of your comfort zone and do this for me, but you practiced your little heart out and improved so much in so little time. Don't be afraid of messing up. If you miss one step, oh well, just improvise like we did in practice."

Lee leaned into Eddy's face with a smile.

"And remember what I said," said Lee, "Go out there, and exude confidence. I've seen you in action, you have more confidence than all of your friends on the football team put together, and tonight is the night you are going to show it. Nothing is sexier, or more intimidating than a guy who has the skills and the confidence to back it up!"

Lee extended her index finger, and poked her long pink fingernail into Eddy's chest playfully.

"And tonight, that guy is YOU!" said Lee in a rather aggressive, yet playful manner.

Eddy remained silent as he looked into his girlfriends blue eyes; they seemed to sparkle magnificently, accentuated by her makeup. As he gazed into her eyes, a strong feeling of complacency overcame him. He had sensed it countless times from the red headed girl standing before him, even before they began dating, during the night when Lee opened his eyes to how foolish he reacted to Edd and Marie's relationship. It was a feeling he could best described as being "comfortable". Very few people indeed were trusted by Lee enough for her to share her natural motherly instincts; and Eddy was lucky enough to be one of them.

Eddy's mind raced for a few moments, contemplating the situation at hand. He had issues with trusting people himself, due to the mistreatment he suffered at the hands of his brother years, making it difficult for him to share affections and believe in others. While she appeared to be looking out for his best interest tonight, he couldn't help but ponder a thought that plagued a small space in his head; Was it real, or all for the sake of beating Lindsay?

Nevertheless, Eddy shook away his thoughts and decided to live in the moment. Regardless of the circumstance, the conversation Eddy shared with Double Dee prior to taking the stage was absolutely heartfelt. He loved Lee with all of his heart, and he would do absolutely anything to help her.

"So what d'ya say?" asked Lee in her typical working class accented voice, "Are ya gonna go out there and dance your ass off,and show those guys what a real man is, or are ya gonna be chicken?"

Lee truly was a great mentor for, at that moment, Eddy's perspiration completely stopped; as if someone had turned off a metaphorical faucet inside his body. The slouch he had displayed for the past half hour was gone and, while the stout boy stood no higher than five feet two inches, he now felt as though he were ten feet tall. In lieu of a nervous frown, his face now displayed it's typical overconfident grin.

"Watch out Babe," said Eddy, as he placed his hand on his shirt and tugged it "Cause Eddy's gonna steal the spotlight tonight!"

"That's the spirit!" said Lee after which she leaned down and kissed Eddy on the lips, in a gentle, yet passionate kiss.

Lee pulled away from Eddy, keeping her face close to his as she slowly opened her eyes and smiled. After a few seconds, she checked Eddy out from head to toe.

"Ya know," said Lee, "You look so handsome all dressed up. And as much as I hate to admit it, I kind of like being all dolled up like this."

Eddy was somewhat taken aback by Lee's admission of being "happy all dolled up." Before he had the chance to process Lee's words, she placed her hand under his chin and lifted it up towards her face.

"I'm actually looking forward to giving in and wearing an evening gown to the winter ball next week," said Lee, "We're gonna be the talk of the town, just like we will be tonight."

At that moment Lee leaned into Eddy's ear, and whispered.

"Oh by the way," said Lee, "Wear your best emerald green tie and vest okay?"

As soon as Lee completed her sentence, she stood up straight and winked at Eddy with a smile. Eddy stood as still as a statue, dumbfounded at what he had just heard. Lee had obviously dropped a hint for Eddy to wear a vest and tie to match her dress, but her words seemed to bring out intense contemplation within Eddy.

Eddy's thoughts were broken by the sound of the the student body presidents voice, who had once again taken the microphone to announce the next act.

 _"Alright Peach Creek High, I hope you are all having fun so far. Our next act will be a duet, a performance of the final portion of a famous ballet by Tchaikovsky. A staple of the holiday season, the Nutcracker has provided joy to generations of families, and tonight we will all be whisked away to the Land of the Sweets. Without further ado, please welcome freshmen Annalee Kanker and Eddy McGee, as they perform their original interpretation of the Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux."_

At that point, the sound of slight audience applauserang out from in front of the curtains. Accompanying the applause was a series of loud whistles, produced by none other than the extremely proud Tabby, in full "ballet mom mode".

"Wow," said Eddy, "Ed and May wrote that introduction?"

"I'm just as shocked as you are," said Lee, "One things for sure, those two innocent knuckleheads sure do come through when you need them."

Lee turned towards Eddy with a smile.

"Well Little Man, this is it!" said Lee, "We enter from opposite sides during the entrée, so let me get over to stage right. Good luck sweets, see ya out out stage."

Lee pecked Eddy on the cheek, after which she turned around and briskly walked across the stage to the other side. Eddy watched with a smile as his girlfriend shuffled across the floor; her voluptuous hips swayed from side to side, causing her flamboyant tutu to bounce as she walked.

Lee reached the opposite side in no time, and turned around to face her now confident boyfriend. While Lee seemingly portrayed confidence, she was quite nervous herself. As she she continued to project a smile across the stage, she was, in reality, deep in thought regarding the circumstances surrounding their performance.

"Tonight, at our date night," said Lee to herself in a discrete manner, as she glanced at Eddy, "Tonight's the night I tell you the truth."

At that point the curtains began to open, and the stage was suddenly flooded with the bright beams of the balcony spotlights. Nevertheless, both teenagers remained locked in each other gaze, awaiting their grand entrance.


	40. Chapter 40

**Authors Note:** _Hello everyone, KiltedEngineer again, extending gratitude for your reading and reviews._

 _This chapter is heavily visual in nature. I have zero experience with ballet whatsoever, and over the last few weeks, I have been studying it extensively specifically to write this chapter. I have based the performance outlined in the chapter off of a few different performances I have found on YouTube, most heavily on a performance by_ _Anna Tsygankova & Matthew Golding. If anyone wants to see a visual representation of many of the maneuvers described in this chapter, especially the introduction to The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy, please see the video _

"Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux - Anna Tsygankova & Matthew Golding"

Without further ado, here it is!

 **Chapter 40**

Out in the audience, all of Lee and Eddy's friends and family eagerly awaited their performance. Out of all of the spectators, there was no doubt that Tabby was the most excited of the bunch. While the rest of the audience delivered standard, obligatory applause, Tabby not only applauded at the sound of her daughters name, but also placed both of her pinky fingers into the corners of her mouth to deliver a loud supportive whistle. While equally proud of his daughter, Rod knew that Tabby's excitement could often spin out of control; he had been at several of May's softball games in which Tabby would borderline strangle him to death out of excitement. To make matters worse, Tabby had been kicked out of several games on more than one occasion, due to a "reaction" to fans of the opposing team that made the mistake of heckling May. Given the fact that this was a ballet performance, Tabby's lifelong passion, there would be no doubt that her emotions would get the best of her. Nevertheless, Rod delivered his own applause and cheers, as he awaited his daughters performance with a smile.

Further back, on the left side of the auditorium, Lindsay had taken a seat to watch the rest of the show. She had reserved a bank of seats by wrapping caution tape, taken from the janitors closet and typically used to indicate "wet paint", around the seats and placed signs stating "obstructed view" around the area. She sat amongst the rest of the cheer squad, filing her prized long pink finger nails, as her face displayed it's typical resting scowl.

As soon as the student body president finished her introduction and left the stage, Kevin removed his digital camcorder from it's case.

"Well Rolf, this is it!" said Kevin, "I never thought I'd see the day that Dorkie went on stage in tights and danced ballet, but now that's here it's only fair that I do him justice and get his good side."

"Hoho," said Rolf, "The small fry Ed boy's loins are wrapped as tight as Nana's freshly prepared dumplings. After his performance, Eddy's voice will sound like that mouse from those movies that your culture adores tremendously!"

As Kevin and Rolf continued to share heavy laughter at Eddy's expense, Nazz ignored the boys antics as she sat troubled with thoughts of her own. She slowly turned her head to the right, eventually making eye contact with Jonny. The bald headed boy merely stared back in a rather serious manner, as he was fully in character, and shared the same concerns as Nazz; the concern being the integrity of Eddy and Lee's relationship.

A few seconds passed, after which the stage curtains began to open, prompting Nazz to return to a forward facing position. As the curtains seperated, the auditorium was virtually silent; the only sounds being that of the slight squeak of the curtain operating gear, the ceiling diffusers rumbling as they pumped heated air into the room, and slight snickers from Kevin as he trained the camera toward the stage and pushed the record button.

As the curtains reached their retracted position, the balcony spotlights were activated, illuminating the stage with pure white light. Just below the left side of the stage, Marie cracked her knuckles, and placed her hands on the piano keyboard.

Marie touched her hands to the keys ever softly, initiating the beautiful arpeggios characteristic of the opening bars of the score for the Pas de Deux with her right hand. As soon as the music sounded, Eddy took a deep breath, puffed his chest, assumed an upright posture and began making his way out onto the stage.

The audience watched as Eddy and Lee entered the stage from opposite sides, in perfect synchronization. Both dancers seemed to flutter on stage as if they were lighter than air, moving their feet flawlessly as the met in the middle and encircled each other; with Eddy eventually standing to the right of Lee. Eddy maintained his smile as he assumed arm "fifth position" (his arms held above his head with elbows slightly bent), and gazed towards Lee.

Lee, staring back at Eddy with an extremely radiant smile, assumed "pointe position" (raising to the tips of her toes), and bowed towards Eddy in a slow and graceful manner. As Lee returned to her erect position, Eddy took at step toward her, holding his hand out as if he were asking her to dance. Lee took his hand, at which point she lifted her right leg, briefly bending it towards her planted leg, after which she extended it and raised it towards Eddy's shoulder while raising her right hand in the air; a display of great flexibility and balance.

Lee returned her leg to the bent position, and spun around on the tip of her toe, using Eddy's hand for support, eventually facing the audience front on. In contrast to her usual cynical expression, Lee's face displayed a brilliant smile, made even more dazzling by the stage spotlights. Eddy then flawlessly changed positions, moving his feet such that he now faced the audience as well, maintaining excellent ballet form as he continued to hold Lee's hand.

Lee then assumed an arabesque position, specifically the "ouvert" form; with the support of Eddy's hand, Lee leaned forward until her body was almost horizontal, extending her left leg horizontally behind her, as her other leg remained vertical with respect to the floor.

The remained in this pose for a few seconds, after which Eddy began to gracefully circle Lee as he continued to hold her hand, rotating her about the axis of her right leg. Lee maintained perfect poise as she rotated, giving off the illusion that her toe was mounted on a turntable. The couple spun around once, ending with Lee facing the audience once again with Eddy standing behind her.

At that point, Lee bent her left leg to her right knee, and while standing on the tip of her left toe with her arms above her head, began to pirouette. She spun around on her toe with a smile as Eddy supported her from behind, placing his hands on her hips after every rotation for balance and to provide extra momentum. Lee completed four spins, eventually stopping in the direction of the audience.

Lee remained in her position as Eddy let go of her hips, and took a few slow steps away from Lee's position. The audience watched in amazement as Lee maintained her pose, unsupported, for three whole seconds, balancing only on the tip of her left toe. This elicited many subtle "wows" from the surprised audience, which could be heard over Marie's piano arrangement. Eddy spun in a circle, after which he performed a ballet leap towards Lee's position.

Eddy approached Lee, once again holding his hand out as if asking her to dance. Lee took Eddy's hand, raised to pointe stance and began spinning. Under ordinary circumstances, the choreography would have called for Eddy to reach above Lee's head, and hold her hand from above as she pirouetted. However, due the significant height difference between the two, Lee altered the choreography to have Eddy alternatively grab each of her hands as she spun back and forth a few times, as if she were the agitator of a washing machine.

Lee accomplished a few more simple spins, once again facing the audience with Eddy standing behind her at completion. As she suddenly stopped with her right foot held out horizontally, she raised her left hand in the air, and leaned slightly to the right. From behind, Eddy grabbed Lee's right hand in his, and placed his left hand around Lee's abdomen. At that point, Eddy effortlessly lifted Lee in the air, which to many would be no easy feat due to the significant height and weight difference between the two. With no sign of fatigue or struggle, Eddy spun his lady in the air as she smiled, maintaining her perfect posture as he completed the maneuver.

Out in the audience, Kevin continued to record the performance; however, in lieu of snickering, he, Rolf and the majority of the football team sitting around around him sat with their eyes wide open, and their jaws dropped to their lap. The boys simply could not believe Eddy's athleticism and strength. Kevin pulled away from the view finder, observing the performance with his naked eye, as he uttered one simple word.

"Whoah."

Back up on stage, Eddy placed Lee back on the floor, and executed a few more simple ballet poses. Lee let go of Eddy's hand, rose to the tips of her toes, and gracefully "fluttered" around the stage, traveling in arc, and eventually meeting back up with Eddy.

At that point, the tempo of the music increased to a more rapid pace. In lieu of the gentle arpeggios characteristic of the first act, Marie began playing thunderous and flamboyant runs. In sync with the music, Lee performed two leaps towards Eddy, at which point, Eddy grabbed her left hand from behind while supporting her right hip with his opposite hand. The two began dancing from side to side as if they were a clock pendulum, Eddy lifting Lee higher and higher at each completion of the cycle.

At the conclusion of the last lift, the couple separated, with Lee walking rapidly to the right side of the stage as Eddy positioned himself to face her. As the music entered a slight lull in terms of volume, Lee turned towards Eddy, and began moving towards him at a quick pace, her feet appearing to be supported by a cushion of air.

Lee, upon reaching a position around three feet away from Eddy, leapt into the air, being sure to keep her body in a vertical position. Eddy simultaneously placed his hand on her hips, and lifted her straight up, holding the young lady in the air for a few seconds. This lift corresponded with a dramatic increase in musical volume, Marie struck a a beautiful chord followed by a dynamic crescendo. He then placed Lee down on the floor, continuing to hold her hand as she raised her right leg into the air towards Eddy's shoulder while leaning backward.

Lee continued to arch her back backward as Eddy stepped around her, eventually placing one of his hands under her back and the other under her knees ,as her leg left the floor. The couple remained in this pose for a split second, Eddy effortlessly cradling his ballerina in his arms.

To the crowds amazement, Eddy suddenly flung Lee into the air, appearing to exert no effort whatsoever. Lee was quite slim, yet well built and proportioned; however due to her above average height, she weighed around 30lbs more than Eddy. Nevertheless, the stout Ed boy executed the movement flawlessly. As Lee went airborne, she rotated, her abdomen facing the floor in lieu of her back. As she began falling, Eddy reached up and caught her, using his shoulder for support as he cradled her using his arms. This movement corresponded to yet another musical crescendo, and a small applause from the audience. As Lee laid on her stomach, with her head held high to the audience with a smile, her arms in the air, and her legs outstretched, Eddy briskly carried her across the stage, his feet moving in synch to the music.

Eddy, after taking a few steps, bent his knees and placed Lee back onto the floor. Lee rose to her toes, and walked at a fast pace in an arc back towards Eddy, eventually meeting him in the middle of the floor. At that point, as the music continued to crescendo, Lee began to pirouette at an extremely quick pace, with Eddy spinning her by placing her hands on her hips. As she spun, the music continued to become even more dramatic.

At that point, Lee suddenly stopped, executing a ballet pose as Marie struck a powerful chord on the piano. Lee rotated in the other direction for a split second, stopping to strike another pose at the sound of the penultimate chord. Marie then pirouetted for a final time, spinning quickly as Marie executed a loud, dynamic tremolo in the pianos middle register.

After a few seconds, Lee suddenly stopped, leaning towards her right as Eddy cradled her, preventing her from falling. This position served as the finale of their duet, and corresponded with Marie's final piano chord. The music stopped, leaving the couple frozen in their position for a few seconds, as the audience delivered applause.

At that point, the couple separated, with Eddy exiting towards stage left, and Lee exiting toward stage right, both walking with excellent dancers technique. The applause died down upon the audience releasing that the act was not quite over. Lee had reappeared from stage right, assuming " fourth position" (her legs crossed in front her, and her arms held in the air.) The auditorium was once again shrouded in silence, as the patrons awaited for the second act of the performance: The Famous "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"

All of Lee's friends were quite excited, as Lee had not allowed anybody to see any of her rendition of the signature dance prior to tonight's performance. Marie in particular was quite nervous, as she had not been able to practice the music with Lee's choreography for synchronization purposes. Nevertheless, Double Dee turned the page, revealing the first few bars of score. Marie took a breath, after which she placed her hands on the piano keyboard to begin the piece.

At that moment, the soft, barely audible march-like opening began resonating throughout the auditorium. With each pulse, Lee took a step en point towards the center of the stage as if she were tip toeing across the floor. She fluently moved her arms about, holding her head high with a smile, as she continued on her way. Upon reaching the center of the stage, she suddenly began moving her feet at a rapid pace, seeming to fly across the stage on her toes.

The conclusion of that movement corresponded with the entrance of the familiar melody of the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy. As Marie played the melody, using the high register to simulate the sound of bells, Lee planted her right toe on the stage floor. She moved her left leg into various positions, bending her knee fluidly as she bowed to the left. In synchronization with the chromatic runs of three at the end of the first phase, Lee crossed her feet, bouncing three times with the music; switching feet with each variation of the chromatic run. In conjunction with the final piece of the first phrase, Lee lifted her leg in the air and spun around gracefully. Corresponding with the quick, chromatic bass runs leading into a higher-keyed repeat of the first phrase, Lee rose to the tips of her toes and walked in perfect coordination with the music.

As Lee danced through the second phase in a similar manner, the audience watched in awe, particularly all of the residents of the cul-de-sac that had known her from the time she moved to Peach Creek. With the talent she was currently displaying, her graceful and elegant moves, and her beautiful face and figure, it was extremely hard to believe that the girl performing on stage was in fact the same girl that used to strike fear in the hearts of all. The girl who once wore a white polka dotted shirt with torn blue jeans, showed no care toward personal hygiene, and wore her hair in a tangled mess of short frizzy curls was gone, replaced by an elegant, dignified young lady.

Eddy in particular, was the most impressed of all as he watched Lee's piece from back stage, completely hypnotized by her movements. Eddy had never in a million years even dreamed of confessing that he loved Lee; he had in fact on one occasion had a nightmare in which he was old and married to Lee, a prospect that, at the time, alarmed him beyond belief. As he observed her express herself on stage, displaying a genuine smile, Eddy could not imagine the prospect of not being romantically involved with Lee. Although Eddy was happy and proud, he was also quite deep in thought regarding a statement Lee made just prior to their performance.

Marie completed the first few phrases, at which point the music transitioned to a faster tempo. As Marie's fingers produced the dramatic runs, Lee continued dancing flamboyantly, executing perfect pirouettes, leaps, and amazing displays of pointe work. Each and every step displayed more technical competency and complexity than the previous one; the slim girl never missed a step, batted an eye, nor appeared to struggle in the slightest.

After the second variation, a recapitulation of the first followed. Lee modified the dance steps to accentuate her ability to balance, displaying various rotational movements over the familiar melody of the tune. As the music transitioned to it's final movement, Lee demonstrated several acrobatic maneuvers, which quite frankly put the cheer squad to shame. She lept through the air, spinning elegantly while performing long leaps; at some points, it appeared the girl was being carried by an invisible set of strings.

As the music reached it's climax, Lee showed off some more of her amazing pirouette skills. She spun around the stage like a top traveling in a circular arc, eventually reaching the middle. She began to slow to a stop as she reached her final position: her legs crossed with her feet angled in the opposite direction (fifth position), as she leaned her body slightly forward,and held her arms out to the side.

Lee held her final position, with her head held high while smiling toward the audience for all but five seconds; however, it seemed like an eternity to the red-headed ballerina. While Lee had projected more confidence in the last ten minutes than she ever had in her life, on the inside she was quite nervous. Lee had done exceptionally well for her first performance in front of a crowd, but due to being a relatively unknown student, a so-called "nerd" at that, and the fact that she had chosen a "classical art" rather than a modern performance piece, she had doubts that her act would appeal to the audience. Lindsay's performance, due to the popularity of the cheer squad, happened to receive the most significant applause out of all of the acts thus far; this fact, combined with Lee's low self-esteem led her to believe that she had absolutely no chance to receive cheers, let alone win.

However, within seconds of Lee striking her final pose, the still silence of the auditorium was replaced with thunderous applause and cheers, much to her complete surprise. Although the glare of the spotlights obscured her view of most of the auditorium, she could make out many of the individuals rising out of their seats, clapping their hands heavily as they cheered exuberantly, with some individuals adding whistles into the mix.

Out in the audience, Ed and May, who had taken their place in the side aisle (acting as "standing room only" for late arrivals) clapped obnoxiously as they both smiled from ear-to-ear. The two quirkily teenagers turned toward each other, embraced tightly, and jumped up and down as they giggled, happy for Lee's success.

At the piano, Marie had rose to her feet to applaud her sister, as did Double Dee. In the midst of the thunderous applause, Double Dee turned towards his girlfriend, slightly teary eyed due to being moved by the performance, and smiled. Marie wasted no time, leaning in to kiss Double Dee on the lips for a few seconds, after which the two turned their attention back to the stage to continue their support for Lee.

Near the front of the auditorium, an extremely proud Tabby had also risen to her feet, clapping in support of her daughter. The black eyeliner that Tabby had applied prior to leaving the house for the talent show was no longer contained to the outline of her eyes, but appeared to have ran down her face; during Lee's performance of the Dance of the Sugar Plum fairy, Tabby could not contain her emotions, and had began crying. The tears were not tears of sadness but tears of joy, joy in seeing her daughter not only performing once of her favorite ballet pieces flawlessly, but also joy in seeing her daughter beaming with positivity. While the remnants of Tabby's emotional release remained in the black smears, she was not longer emitting tears. Rather, she was clapping as loud as she could, all the while borderline strangling Rod as she began to yell.

"Brava Annalee!," yelled Tabby as loud as she could, her voice attempting to overcome the deafening sound of the other cheers. She turned around, yelling towards the rest of the audience, "That's my baby girl up there!"

Rod, while quite uncomfortable with Tabby's squeezes, shared her happiness in seeing his daughter receiving so much praise. He simply smiled, clapping his hands excitedly.

Further back, Kevin had closed the viewfinder of his digital camcorder and placed it on the auditorium floor. The cynical athlete, while having a history of conflict with Lee, delivered applause in support of his friends girlfriend. The performance has surprised Kevin tremendously, especially Eddy's confidence and ability to effortlessly carry Lee across the stage. The Van Bartonschmeers and Jonny shared their support as well, although Jonny and Nazz shared concerns regarding the integrity of the apparent romantic bond displayed on stage.

While the majority of the audience reacted with excitement and support, a few individuals were less than thrilled with the response. The cheer squad in particular remained silent, mostly out of fear for upsetting their captain Lindsay. Lindsay herself did not applaud; however, the resting scowl that typically adorned her face was replaced with a discreet smile.

A few seats down from Tabby, Ms. Statorowski remained seated, as if she were a statue. She appeared extremely agitated at the situation, grinding her teeth as her eyes adopted an expression of sever anger. A few seconds passed, after which the petite slender woman rose from her seat, and stormed down the auditorium aisle towards the exit door.

Back on stage, Lee remained frozen in her final position, overwhelmed by the audiences response. Heavy praise for positive activity was alien to Lee; while she excelled at many things, both academically and extra curricular, Lee had never quite reaped the benefits of her positive attributes. This was due to the fact that, for years, she neglected to properly apply herself, and developed an antisocial attitude due to all of the negative and traumatic experiences she was forced to endure throughout childhood. While she was quite taken aback by the praise she was receiving, she was also experiencing a powerful feeling of happiness.

With that in mind, Lee released from her final position and took a few light steps towards the audience. With a brilliant smile, she assumed "fourth position" (her feet crossed in front of her, with her right harm held above her head, and left arm held across her abdomen. In one slow, fluid motion, she proceeded to execute a révérence (bow), by kneeling down her left knee while simultaneously bending her abdomen towards the stage and brining her upper arm down across her chest.

Lee rose back to her feet, at which point she turned her attention toward stage left. Eddy, still quite taken aback from Lee's outstanding performance, continued to stare dreamily in Lee's direction. His trance was interrupted, as his eyes caught sight of Lee waving her right hand, signaling Eddy to join her on stage. Eddy, still slightly dazed, pointed to himself, absent-mindedly mouthing "Who me?" to Lee.

Lee giggled to herself, at which point she widened her eyes, and began shaking her head up and down and waving both of her hands. Eddy took a deep breath, and reluctantly began making his way out onto the stage. At the moment Eddy first appeared from behind the curtain, the applause ramped by up to amplitudes comparable to those just after Lee completed her solo dance.

Kevin, who had found a new appreciation for Eddy's dance routine, led the rest of the football seated behind him in giving Eddy a special ovation. As Eddy made his way towards Lee, smiling nervously, Kevin and the entire team began chanting Eddy's name loudly, drowning out the remainder of the applause. Eddy stood shocked at the unexpected praise he was receiving, staring out into the audience with confusion.

A few moments passed, after which he felt Lee's hand grab his. He turned to his left and glanced up, eventually locking eyes with the smiling face of his red headed sweetheart.

"See, I told ya!" said Lee, "You danced wonderfully, and with such confidence and poise! They ate it up."

Eddy smiled dreamily as he gazed into Lee's sparkling blue eyes, eventually deciding to provide a response.

"Yeah, it wasn't too bad," said Eddy, " But you stole the show Lee. You were so beautiful out there, and you danced like a professional!"

"Thanks Eddy," said Lee, "You don't know how much that means to me."

The two teenagers remained locked in their gaze as the audience continued to applaud. After a brief pause, Lee decided it was time to formally conclude their performance.

"Alright, enough of the mushy stuff," said Lee playfully, "It's time for our final bow!"

Eddy smiled as he turned towards the audience. Eddy, holding Lee's hand, performed a bow in ballet poise, as Lee performed a curtesy, both teenagers beaming with happiness as they enjoyed their moment in the spotlight.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

An hour had passed since Eddy and Lee had successfully completed their performance. The large, analog clock mounted to the auditorium wall currently read fifteen minutes to seven thirty, and the talent show had progressed to it's final act: a dramatic, condensed reading of Dickens "A Chistmas Carol", performed by a few juniors from the drama club.

After their stellar performance, Eddy and Lee had relocated to the rear of the auditorium to watch the remainder of the show, and by some stroke of luck, they were able to locate two adjacent empty seats. While the two adolescents were quite happy with their performance, they had not had much in terms of conversation since they had taken their seats, mostly due to remaining quiet out of respect for the remaining performers. Lee was currently leaning her head on Eddy's shoulder, as Eddy sat up straight in his chair. While Lee's demeanor seemed quite relaxed and casual, Eddy appeared as if his mind continued to be plagued by deeps thought. His eyes were focused on the stage, yet he was by no means paying attention to the performance.

The period between Lee and Eddy's performance and present was rather uneventful for the remainder of their friends. Double Dee and Marie had traveled out to the snack bar for some refreshments, and rejoined Ed and May in the side aisle to watch the remainder of the show. While all of the teenagers were excited by the holiday spirit captured within the remaining acts, there was no doubt that the real anticipation and excitement lied in the announcement of the talent show winner.

In no time, the actor playing Tiny Tim delivered the ever famous final line of the story, "And God bless us every one!", at which point the lights slowly dimmed to a blackout, and the audience began to applaud. After a few moments, the spot lights re-activated, with one trained toward the stage, while the other illuminated the wooden lectern placed on the front right side of the stage.

Within seconds of the spotlights illuminating, the student body president emerged from behind the curtain, once again taking her place behind the lectern. She placed a white letter envelop on top of the lectern, adjusted the microphone, and began to speak.

 _Well ladies and gentlemen, that concludes this years Peach Creek High annual holiday talent show. Let's give all of our performers another round of applause!_

The audience applauded for a few moments, after which the president continued to speak.

 _As you all know, and have probably been anticipating, we still have one manner of business to attend to. Throughout the night, the audience has had the opportunity to cast their votes for their favorite act via secret ballot. All of the votes have been counted and, as always, we will now invite the top two performers back to the stage to allow the audience to decide the winner via applause._

The president picked up the envelope and began to open it.

 _Without further ado, it is my pleasure to welcome the following two acts back to the stage._

There was a pause as the president opened the envelope and unfolded the paper contained within. She then glanced up with a smile, and made her announcement.

 _The Peach Creek High School Cheer Squad and The Nutcracker Grand pas Deux!_

At that point, the audience let out a small burst of applause. In terms of audience response at the conclusion of their performances, there was no doubt that Lee and Lindsay's acts were the most adored. At the sound of their acts name, Eddy and Lee turned toward each other with a smile, after which Lee leaned in and initiated a rather long kiss on the lips. Elsewhere, Double Dee, Marie, Ed, and May clapped exuberantly, with Marie and May screaming loudly as they jumped up and down in excitement. Tabby, of course, let out a long, drawn out scream that was easily heard over the crowd, surprising her husband.

 _In the interest of space, I respectfully request that each act please send one representative to come up to the stage for the audience vote and to ultimately accept the trophy. Come on up!_

"Well, I guess that's my cue," said Lee is she rose up out of her seat, "It's time to go shove the talent show trophy into Bimbo Blondie's big mouth. Wish me luck."

"Don't worry babe," said Eddy, "You got this, remember you had me on your team, and nothin' can go wrong if you got a little Eddy magic on your side!"

"Man I must have gave one hell of a good speech," said Lee, "Cause you're definitely back to your old confident self."

Lee began walking towards the aisle.

"You're just lucky I lo...think you're cute," said Lee, appearing to briefly stumble over her words, as she delivered Eddy a wink, turned around and began walking up the aisle towards the stage.

Eddy watched with a smile as his girlfriend began making her way up the aisle. Lee had always had a distinct walk pattern; her feet flared out to the sides slightly, and she never quite seemed to place the soles of her feet on the ground, preferring to use the balls of her feet as the contact surface. This was due to years of secret ballet training; her legs, knees and feet were physically conditioned for the required, sometimes complicated positions. While her unusual gait was typical masked by the fact that she wore high heeled boots on a daily basis, Eddy had noticed it prior to them becoming a couple, in gym class, ballet practice and any other instance in which did not don the boots. As he watched Lee walk towards the stage, her tutu bouncing from side to side due to her natural hip sway, he noted how Lee's signature gait was another reminder of how special she was, not only physically, but personality wise. This thought, combined with a specific statement Lee made prior to their performance, seemed to serve as a thought provoking moment for Eddy. Accordingly, a proverbial light bulb suddenly sparked to life above his head.

Lee eventually reached the front of the auditorium, and made her way around to stage left. The front of the stage extended slightly past the surrounding wall, and on each side were a set of stairs cleverly concealed by decorative paneling. Lee climbed the stairs, and casually made her way to center stage. While the girl made all attempts to follow her advice to Eddy and exude confidence, the idea of standing front of hundreds of people still made her quite nervous. Nevertheless, she glanced toward the audience, which was barely visible from her point of view due to the blinding rays of the powerful spotlights, and smiled as she walked towards center stage with ballet poise.

Lindsay, still wearing her Peach Creek High School cheer uniform, had made her way back up to the stage as well, utilizing the stairs opposite of Lee. She too smiled as she walked towards center stage, flaunting her hips as she delivered waves and winks to the audience.

The smiles adorning both girls faces quickly disappeared, being replaced with expressions of disgust as they took notice of each other. Both girls eventually reached center stage and turned towards the audience, awaiting the president to emcee the final vote. As the audience applause died down, Lindsay leaned slightly towards Lee to deliver a final insult.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" said Lindsay, "I guess I should congratulate you for actually having the pleasure of standing next to me on stage. But I'm afraid you are about to see how much of a waste of time and effort it was for you to even attempt to beat me at a popularity contest."

"You seem quite sure of yourself." said Lee, "Why don't ya keep your arrogance to yourself and let the audience decide if I wasted my time or not."

The girls turned towards each other, exchanging scowls for a brief instant, at which point they both turned back towards the audience with smiles. Lee had assumed ballet fourth position (her legs crossed with her feet pointed inward towards each other), while Lindsay stood with both of her feet together, her legs straight with both of her hands on her hips.

Out in the audience, Tabby and Rod were completely focused on the stage, waiting in anticipation to applaud as loud as they could for their eldest daughter. However, while Tabby was quite happy with her daughters performance, she was not smiling; rather she appeared quite disheartened at the moment. The red headed woman remained fixated on the stage, observing her eldest daughter and her former friend. Seeing the girls smiling as they stood next to each other reminded Tabby of the days when her daughter would come home excited with news that she and her friend had made $5.00 selling lemonade, and the days when the girls would willingly pose together for pictures displaying genuine smiles. However, Tabby had also taken notice of their nasty exchange, a reminder that the beautiful friendship that once made her daughter happy was gone; and that the severance of the said friendship was the catalyst for her daughters eventual loss of trust in people.

"What a damn shame." whispered Tabby to herself.

At the conclusion of her sentence, she turned towards the far side of the auditorium, her eyes honing in on Ms. Statorowski. The petite, pretty, yet nasty woman had re-entered the auditorium to witness the announcement of the winner, and of course to provide support for Lindsay. She stood laser focused on the stage; while Lindsay had inherited her looks from her father and shared little resemblance to Edyta, it was obvious that the scowl typically displayed by Lindsay was a learned behavior from her. Tabby glanced upon her nemesis with disgust for a few moments at which point the sound of the student body presidents voice drew her attention back toward the stage.

 _Alright everyone, our participants have made their way back up to the stage and it's time for the moment I'm sure you all have been waiting for. As always, I will announce the name of each act one at a time, and you the audience will choose the winner using your applause, cheers, or any other expression of excitement as you see fit. Is everyone ready?_

The audience let out a slight applause as a signal to acknowledge, at which point the president detached the microphone from it's stand, and stepped out from behind the lectern, carrying it across the stage towards the girls. She ultimately stopped next to Lindsay, and pointed her free hand towards the blonde girl.

 _Alright, let's hear it for Lindsay Statorowski and the Peach Creek High School Cheer Squad._

At that point, the sound of a significant amount of applause filled the auditorium. The applause seemed to mostly emanate from the back right side of the auditorium, where the entire cheer squad had taken their seats. Each girl clapped as loud as the could, to the point that some were hurting their hands, as they let out long, drawn out, yelps of support. Ms. Statorowski, of course also applauded heavily, as she intermittently used her pinky fingers to deliver a loud whistle. The remaining support was provided by the basketball team, whom the cheer squad often supported at games.

However, the sound of the audience cheers were silenced by an unexpected, highly obnoxious sound. The noise easily overpowered the audiences applause, it's timbre reminiscent of a poorly played tuba with the volume that seemed to be equivalent to that of a freight train.

As most of the audience covered their ears out of disgust, they simultaneously turned towards the source of the noise. The obnoxious sound was produced by none other than Rolf, sounding his "horn of support" as he rose out of his seat. A few seconds passed, after which Rolf pulled the horn away from his lips, rested it against the seat in front of him, and began clapping as the rest of the auditorium stared in silence.

"Rolf offers his unfettered to support to you, my Beautiful Schmetlockin," yelled Rolf, "Your strange yet satisfying movements of the body intrigue Rolf, in addition to your as your eyes as blue as the as skies of Rolf's old country."

Even though Rolf's display of support was carried out with the best of intentions, his strange culture alienated the audience, who remained completely silent as Rolf took his seat and continued clapping. While all of his friends from the cul-de-sac were quite shocked at his support for Lindsay over Lee, they were not surprised as it was no secret that Rolf harbored an intense crush on the blonde haired cheerleader.

Up on stage, Lee herself was not upset in the slightest at losing Rolf's support; in fact, the red headed ballerina was holding back giggles as Lindsay's usually fair facial skin had transformed to a lush shade of red. While embarrassed beyond belief about being the focus of Rolf's shenanigans, she did her best to pretend it never happened, maintaining her smile as she stood with both her hands on her hips.

After a few awkward seconds, the student body president decided to continue with the ceremony. She circled around the two girls, eventually coming to a stop directly next to Lee. She pointed her index finger towards the eldest Kanker sister, and placed the microphone to her mouth.

 _Alright everyone, now let's hear it for the Nutcracker Grand pas de Deux._

The president was barely able to complete her sentence for within an instant, the auditorium erupted in thunderous applause, just as they had when Lee completed her dance earlier that night. In the corner of the auditorium, Marie and May placed their hands beside their mouth screaming their heads off as Double Dee and Ed clapped as hard as they could.

In the front of the auditorium, Tabby rose out of her seat, jumping up and down as she clapped loudly. As usual, her emotions and motherly pride got the best of her, as she alternated shaking Rod almost to the point of giving him whiplash, and screaming as loud as she could. Despite the obvious fact that the cheers for Lee were louder than those for Lindsay, she still seemed to be quite unsatisfied with the response due to her overexcitement over her daughters ballet performance

"Yeah!" yelled Tabby in a shrill voice that sounded similar to Marie's, "That's what I'm talking about, Annalee for the win. C'mon people what are ya's mimes? I heard louder cheers in a library, show the damn girl some support!"

Rod, while somewhat embarrassed and fearful of his wife's antics, was equally proud of his daughter; as Tabby continued to yell and cheer loudly, he continued to show his support by clapping.

Of course, Eddy offered his support from the back of the auditorium. The stout Ed boy rose out of his seat, clapping his hands as he used the big mouth he was blessed with to yell Lee's name.

Lee was in fact quite surprised, as even though she received a standing ovation at the conclusion of her dance, she believed the cheer squads popularity with the sports teams and upper class girls would have been her undoing. Under ordinary circumstances, the large amount of students that belonged to the football team would have been rooting for the cheer squad. However, Eddy's earlier performance had managed to earn their respect; this coupled with the fact that the majority of the team was acquainted with Eddy led them to root for Lee to win.

The student body president smiled, at which point another member of the student union entered from stage left. In their hands, the student carried two trophy's; one golden, and one silver. The golden trophy was around two feet tall, and consisted of a base in the form of a Doric column. On top of the column, was a small statue of Santa Claus, depicting the jolly old man as a juggler riding a unicycle. From the audience, one could make out the words written on the front of the trophy's base:

 _First Place_

 _Peach Creek High School Holiday Talent Show_

 _December XXXX (Year Obstructed by Glare from Spotlights)_

The silver second place trophy was a smaller version of the first place trophy, with the exception of the word "first" being replaced with second. The second student handed the larger trophy to the student body president, who promptly turned towards the girls with a smile. Without saying a word, she handed the trophy to the undisputed champion, Lee, at which point there was another small surge in audience applause.

After presenting the winning trophy to Lee, and giving her the obligatory applause, the student body president retrieved the silver second place trophy, and made her way towards Lindsay's position. Lindsay, who had maintained a neutral facial expression as she watched the first place trophy be presented, was staring out into the audience, seemingly out of touch with what was happening on stage. Her eyes were in fact trained toward the position of Edyta, currently standing on the left side of the auditorium. The two women's eyes remained locked, Lindsay's carrying an air of concern and sadness, while Edyta's appeared quite emotionless.

The proverbial staring contest between the two women quickly came to an end, as the student body president had tapped the preoccupied Lindsay on the shoulder. Lindsay turned toward the girl, her face still continuing to carry an expression of distress, as the president simply giggled, handed her the second place trophy, and made her way back towards the lectern.

The student body president called for another round of applause from the audience for both acts, as Lindsay glanced at the trophy she was holding. After a few seconds, she turned towards the direction of Lee, who was currently smiling as she cradled the large golden trophy in her hands.

Lee took notice that Lindsay had turned her attention to her, at which point she raised the trophy as if to give the cheer captain a better view. At the same time, she quickly stuck her tongue out in a teasing manner, after which her face reverted back to a sly grin as she continued to stare at her former best friend.

Lindsay said absolutely nothing; she continued to stare in Lee's direction for a few more seconds, after which she glanced back out into the audience. Edyta, witnessing Lee's sarcastic display of hubris, seemed quite furious. Her eyes were completely filled with rage, staring in the direction of the stage as she clenched her fists by her sides.

A moment passed, after which Lindsay quickly turned back towards Lee. As Lee continued to stare in her direction with a grin, Lindsay's typical scowl returned. In an instant, the blonde diva suddenly regained her arrogant demeanor. The girl merely let out a rather exaggerated "humph", raised her nose into the air, and carried her trophy off the stage in the opposite direction.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

Ten minutes had passed since Lee was officially crowned the winner of the talent show. The student body president had delivered her final farewells, including a "good evening and drive safely", after which the main auditorium lights were activated, fully illuminating the large room. The majority of the spectators had cleared out of the auditorium and were on their way back to their homes, leaving only a few students who decided to linger in the interest of finishing up friendly conversations.

The main school corridor was quite busy, as individuals made their way to the school exit doors in droves on their way to the parking lot. While many individuals were on the move, many of the talent show participants remained stationary, standing with their friends and family. All were smiling as they shared friendly conversations, and received praise from their loved ones.

The Kanker family happened to be one of many taking part in post show celebrations, with Lee, of course being the center of attention. Earlier that night, Eddy had asked his parents to stop at the business district flower shop on the way to the talent show, the reason being to pick up a bouquet of roses to present to Lee at the end of the night. His parents had held onto them throughout the night for safekeeping, turning them back over to their son prior to their departure. Due to being up on stage, Lee was one of the last to exit the auditorium, and was quite surprised, and excited when she opened the doors to find her boyfriend holding flowers for her.

Lee was currently standing against the wall, still in costume, as she cradled her trophy in her left arm; and her flowers in her right arm. All of her sisters, their boyfriends, Rod and Eddy (still in costume) were gathered around, watching with smiles as Tabby excitedly snapped pictures of her eldest daughter using a camera brought from home. While Tabby appeared quite exuberant, Lee, being the cynical person she was, was less than enthused at being the center of attention.

"C'mon Annalee," said Tabby as she peered around the camera, "Would it kill ya to smile in at least one of these pictures? Jesus ya just kicked ass at your first ballet performance, I figured that would be something for ya to be happy about."

"Huh," said Lee, "I'll be happy when I can get out of this costume. And by the way, this is my first and last performance. I only did it to make sure _she_ didn't get it."

"Seriously Lee?" yelled Marie, "Stop with the bullshit and enjoy the moment, you earned it!"

"Language Annemarie," said Tabby in a rather stern manner, after which she turned back towards Lee "But, she's right, suck it up and enjoy it."

Lee sighed, at which point the neutral expression typical of the tall red head disappeared. It was replaced by a genuine, radiant smile not unlike the one she displayed as she performed her post solo bow on stage.

"That a girl!" said Tabby excitedly as she snapped a picture, after which she turned towards Eddy.

"Hey Nutcracker Prince!" said Tabby in a playful manner, "Don't be shy, come get a picture with your Sugarplum Fairy."

Eddy smiled, at which point he slowly walked toward Lee. He took his place to the right of Lee, placing his arm around her hip, as Lee turned slightly toward him. Both teenagers smiled as Tabby activated the shutter, capturing the special moment with a flash. She and Rod then disembarked to retrieve Rod's truck, agreeing to meet outside of the school in a few minutes to make the ride home.

As Tabby and Rod made their way away from the group, Lee rejoined her friends, standing next to Eddy with her right hand on her hip. Double Dee decided to break the silence.

"Well I for one thoroughly enjoyed tonight's performance," said Double Dee, "I apologize in advance for my brutal honesty Eddy, but I must admit that I had my doubts regarding your ability to learn all of those beautiful and complicated techniques in time for tonight's performance."

Eddy opened his mouth to respond with an overconfident remark, however Lee had managed to beat him to the punch.

"You kiddin?" said Lee, "I always knew my Little Man could handle it. After all, I was his teacher, and that fact should have been enough to put all your doubts to rest!"

Lee playfully rubbed Eddy's head as she giggled causing Eddy to smile.

"Well, you're tutelage most certainly paid off," said Double Dee as he turned toward Marie, "Of course, I must once again praise Marie's amazing piano arrangement. It was a perfect compliment to Eddy and Lee's dance. It was quite boisterous without being intrusive to the dancers, a feat that is quite difficult to accomplish."

"Yeah," said Lee as she walked towards Marie, and playfully punched her in the arm, "That was a bang up job you did down there with the piano!"

At that point Lee leaned down, placed her hands on Marie's shoulders and brought her face to Marie's eye level.

"Thank's so much for doing that for me," said Lee with a smile, "You were great."

Lee then placed her arms around Marie, grabbing her in a tight squeeze. Marie slowly but surely lifted her arms, returning the embrace.

"Anytime Lee," said Marie, "I'm glad you liked it."

Lee pulled away from Marie and returned to Eddy's side. She slightly tugged on the shoulder strap of her bodice, after which she continued the conversation.

"Well one thing's for sure," said Lee, "I can't wait to get home and get this thing off."

"I know what you mean," said Eddy, "These tights are chafing me, and it's about time I ditched this coat, I'm sweating my ass off!"

Eddy, in an attempt to relieve himself from his own oppressive body heat, began unbuttoning the red coat he had worn as part of his costume for the last hour and a half. As he reached the last button, a familiar voice rang out from further down the hall.

"Yo Dorky!" yelled the voice of Kevin.

At the sound of Kevin's voice, Eddy's face donned a distressed expression, while simultaneously turning a bright shade of red. Due to his nervousness regarding being on stage, and his obliviousness to Kevin's change of attitude toward his dance, he had reason to assume that the red-headed jock had arrived to poke fun at him. Accordingly, the stout Ed boy slowly turned around towards the end of the hallway.

Kevin was not alone, rather he was accompanied by Rolf, as well as around five of his best friends from the school football team. Eddy remained still, sweating bullets all the while preparing for the inevitable humiliation he was about to endure.

"Yo man, awesome job!," said Kevin as he reached Eddy's position, holding his hand out to shake Eddy's, "I never knew you had it in ya!"

Eddy reluctantly returned Kevin's handshake, staring at the boy in a confused manner.

"You don't have to be sarcastic about it," said Eddy, "Go ahead, take your best shot. I've been ready for you guys to bust on me all night."

"No man, I'm serious!" said Kevin, "I never knew that ballet dancers were like athletes. You lifted your girl like it was no problem. Where'd ya learn all of those moves?"

Upon the realization that he was safe from ridicule, Eddy regained his overconfident composure. He adopted his typical sly grin as he completed unbuttoning his coat.

"You know," said Eddy, as he glanced toward Lee with a smile, "Around..."

At that point, Eddy removed the outer coat from his body, folded it in half, and hung in over his forearm. Underneath the coat, Eddy wore a black, form fitting sleeveless shirt; an article of clothing that happened to show off every aspect of his newly developed muscular physique. Kevin and the remainder of the football team instantly took notice, with Kevin being the first to comment.

"Yo check it out, my man got ripped!" said Kevin, "Hey dude, you gotta give us some pointers, we've been trying to gain some mass for next season!"

Lee smiled and giggled slightly as she watched her boyfriend strike poses, showboating in front of his friends. From afar, Double Dee also observed the boys playful antics, eventually deciding to make a comment.

"Well, it appears that situation remedied itself." said Double Dee as he turned towards Marie.

"Yep," said Marie, "I will never understand you men. One minute you're brutally teasing each other, and the next it's like you're in love."

"I believe the answer lies in an juxtaposition of human behavior with animal behavior ," said Double Dee, "In the animal world, testosterone, as well as the strong drive to obtain dominance, can cause individuals to express unusual and often undesirable behaviors."

"Right," said Marie, after which she giggled.

Double Dee paused for a few moments, observing Eddy having fun with the jocks. He turned towards Lee, currently standing around ten feet from the boys, watching her boyfriend enjoy being the center of attention. As he observed the events before him, he appeared to develop an expression of concern, at which point he decided to interject.

"While I am overjoyed to see everyone in such a great mood," said Double Dee, "I have a strange feeling that Lee's victory might be more trouble than it is worth."

"What do you mean Double Dee?", asked Marie.

"I am concerned that the feud between Lee and Lindsay will escalate to new heights," said Double Dee, "Lee's unexpected win may drive Lindsay to take drastic measures to usurp Lee as the winter ball queen."

"So," said Marie as she ran her fingers through her hair, "Let her try! Lee will outshine her just like she did tonight. No big deal."

"It's not so much my being worried about Lee achieving victory, as it is about the consequences of the feud itself." said Double Dee, "Lindsay has demonstrated that she is quite unpredictable, and manipulative, and I am afraid that she may attempt to use her excellent skills of persuasion to bring about chaos."

Double Dee glanced toward Eddy.

"I am also concerned regarding Eddy's well being," said Double Dee, "While I adore Eddy as if he were a brother, I will be the first to admit that Eddy is quite poor at decision making when he is under pressure. This was perfectly evidenced by his plan to use Rolf to drive a wedge between Lee and Lindsay, for which I cannot thank fate enough that he had come to his senses and abandoned it."

Double Dee paused.

"Still," said Double Dee, "Between Eddy's desperation to please Lee, and his ignorance to the true reason for her competition with Lindsay, it's only a matter of time until somebody's feelings get hurt."

Double Dee turned towards Marie.

"Marie," said Double Dee, "Perhaps you and I should sit down with Eddy and Lee, just the four of us, and discuss the issue at hand. Great communication skills are the foundations of a great romantic relationship, and I believe Lee keeping this secret for too long may lead to disaster. Eddy has been a completely different person since he became involved romantically with Lee, and I know you have seen a drastic change in Lee as well. Do we really want to stand by idly as we watch all of that potentially go to waste?"

Marie remained silent, at which point Double Dee placed her hand on her cheek, turning her head towards his.

"And furthermore," said Double Dee, "This feud between Lee and Lindsay is absolutely pointless, and does nothing but cause unnecessary emotional turmoil for your sister and her loved ones. There has to be something we can do to stop it."

"Double Dee," said Marie in a calm manner as she grabbed Double Dee's hand from her face, lowering it towards the ground, "I fully understand your frustration. I hate seeing Lee like this, but trust me, it's for the best and it is exactly what Lee wants. Besides I made a promise to my sister that I would not take any action regarding Lindsay, or tell anybody about their history. If you got involved, Lee would know I broke my promise and there is no telling how upset she would be."

Marie leaned closer towards Double Dee's face.

"And as for stopping the fight," said Marie, "I told you before, there is no sense in even trying. Lindsay is no longer the girl that she was back in kindergarten. She's not capable of kindness anymore, and fully accepts the nastiness that her mother instilled in her. She's learned to enjoy that lifestyle, and has chosen to embrace it by making those who she feels are beneath feel horrible about themselves. I will tell you one thing, I will never forgive her for what she did to Lee, or all of those times she made fun of my bad eye. The girl is pure evil, just remember that."

Marie pulled away from Double Dee, as her face transformed into a smile.

"Now no more thinking about that," said Marie, "Everything will work out. Trust me."

Double Dee said nothing, merely sighing as Marie delivered him a kiss on the cheek.

A few moments passed, after which the crowd surrounding Eddy began to disperse. Kevin and Rolf decided to remain with Eddy for a few more seconds after the football team dispersed to provide some final congratulations, and exchange amicable jokes. Kevin also provided Eddy with a mini DVD; while the red headed jock had intended to use his camera to humiliate Eddy, witnessing the small boys performance had changed his mind. He had instead decided to record the performance in the best quality possible, and provide a copy to Eddy as a memory of his first ballet performance.

Following the friendly exchange, Kevin departed to meet Nazz and her family, who he had made arrangements to ride home with. Double Dee and Marie had also made their way outside, as they had also arranged a ride home with the Van Bartonschmeers . While Double Dee was merely receiving a ride back to his residence, as he had to catch up with his all important science fair project, Marie had plans to spend the night with Nazz, doing yoga and other aerobic workouts. In addition, May had decided to ride home with Ed's family, for the two goofballs had made plans to spend the remainder of the night in Ed's basement watching a new special based on one of their favorite comic books.

After a few goodbyes and good nights, Eddy and Lee were the only two individuals remaining in the school corridor. After watching Ed and May run down the hall away from their position in an excited manner, Lee turned to Eddy with a smile.

"So Eddy," said Lee, "I know I promised to come over your house tonight for our little celebratory dinner date, but there's been a slight change of plan."

At that point, Eddy's eyes widened.

"Really?" asked Eddy, "So no dinner date?"

"No, our dinner date is still on," said Lee as she pushed a red curl that had come loose from her bun behind her ear, "But instead of me cooking, it's going to be the chefs at that new fancy Italian Restaurant that just opened in the business district. My Mom and Dad got reservations last night, and wanted to take us out to dinner to celebrate my first ballet performance. We're gonna ride home first so I can get changed, then you can ride with us to the restaurant."

Lee leaned down to meet Eddy at eye level.

"Don't worry," said Lee, "You still get your ' _dessert'_ , but it's going to have to wait until Friday night. And because you did so awesome, it's going to have a cherry on top!"

Lee giggled amorously as she stood up straight, leaving Eddy quite surprised and excited regarding the implicit innuendo that Lee had just implied. While Eddy was smiling, it appeared as if he was being weighed down by troubling thoughts. A few seconds passed after which Eddy decided to reply.

"Sure, I like spaghetti," said Eddy, "But instead of riding with you, can I meet you guys at the restaurant? I've got a few personal things I've got to take care of."

Lee was somewhat taken aback by Eddy's statement, wondering what possible personal matters Eddy could have to take care of. There was a brief pause, after which Eddy decided to continue.

"See, I have a special surprise I've been working on," said Eddy, "And I need to go make the initial arrangements to have it delivered. It turns out that tonight is the only time the person I need to talk to is available. It's only gonna take a few minutes, and I'll be at the joint by the time you get changed and ride over. I'm sorry in advance for being late."

Lee remained still, her face appearing as if it were made of stone. Eddy began to have doubts that the partial lie, regarding an unknown rendezvous, was not sitting well with the highly clever Lee. However, just as the small boy was about to begin sweating, Lee suddenly smiled.

"Eddy," said Lee, "For being an ex-con man you suck at keeping secrets. Don't apologize for planning my Christmas gift."

Lee giggled, leaned down, and kissed Eddy on the cheek. She proceeded to walk away from her boyfriend, who remained motionless.

"See ya at the restaurant my cute little Nutcracker Prince." said Lee as opened the steel exit door, and walked out into the bone chilling winter air.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

Eddy remained fixated on the steel double doors acting as the main access/egress to the street for a few seconds. The small Ed boy maintained a slight smile, as well as an air of surprise regarding Lee's bold guess that he had rejected a ride home with her so that he could work on obtaining her Christmas present. Nevertheless, Eddy's mind raced frantically as he pondered his current situation, and the unidentified plan he concocted. He had no idea if what he was about to do would work, but it was most certainly worth a try.

With that in mind, Eddy made his way into the boys bathroom, the door of which was relatively close to his position. Unlike Lee, Eddy had brought his street clothes with him, with the intent to change out of his ballet costume at the end of the show. In around two minutes, Eddy had changed out of his black sleeveless shirt and tights, and back into his standard outfit of a yellow sweater with a purple stripe and blue jeans. He placed the costume in a blue gym back that he brought with him, after which he donned a pair of red gloves, and exited the bathroom.

At the time of Eddy's emergence from the restroom, the hallway was completely empty. Eddy's footsteps echoed off of the hallway walls, each step interrupting the eerie ambient silence. Eddy had opted to travel towards the side exit of the school, further east away from the street and the parking lot; his intent being to refrain from being accidentally spotted by Lee and her family. The side exit of the school led to a relatively spacious alley, where the school stored it's trash dumpsters for pickup by the sanitation department. While the west outlet lead toward the school parking lot, the east outlet of the alleyway lead directly to small road connecting to the main line of the business district, which the garbage trucks used to gain access to the area on trash day. Eddy planned to use this road to escape undetected to his destination.

Eddy eventually reached the steel door, opened it and exited the building. He placed his hands in his pockets, attempting to shield himself from the bone chilling winter air, as he rounded the corner into the school alleyway.

However, his causal walk was interrupted, for as he rounded the corner, his ears detected the sound of a shrill, polish-accented feminine voice. The voice was in the register of a slight whisper, but nevertheless sounded extremely aggressive. Eddy wasted no time, ducking behind one of the school dumpsters to remain incognito. After ensuring that he was hidden, he peered around the side of the metal bin, in an attempt to classify the voices.

Standing around fifteen feet away from his position was his girlfriends nemesis, Lindsay. She had changed out of her cheer outfit and back into her standard outfit of choice, with the addition of a pair of blue earmuffs. She was standing with her back against the concrete wall of the school, her arms to her sides and her feet together as if she were standing at attention.

Standing directly in front of Lindsay was Edyta. While Lindsay shared uncanny body proportions to Lee, being a base 5'9", with an additional two inches added due to wearing her brown high-heeled boots, Edyta stood at a modest 5'5". Accordingly, the woman's right index finger was lifted upwards, pointing directly into Lindsay's face, as she yelled aggressively.

Eddy took notice that the typical arrogant smile that adorned the girls face had vanished, and was replaced with a wide eyed neutral expression. The blonde girl remained fixated on an imaginary point directly in front of her face, as her mother sternly lectured her. Eddy decided to remain still, listening to the conversation unfold.

"Now you listen to me for the umpteenth time!" yelled Edyta in an aggressive voice, "You do NOT lose popularity contest to anyone, especially if I'm going to be in the audience! Do you know how hard I worked to get where I am? I can't afford to be embarrassed because you can't pull enough votes to beat a piece of red headed trash that decided to play dress up for the night."

"I tried," said Lindsay in a soft voice, atypical of the boisterous blonde, "What am I sup..p..posed to do, it's not m..m..my fault, she was just..."

As Lindsay struggled to get her words out, Eddy decided to comment to himself.

"Wow...harsh." said Eddy as he watched the events unfold before him. While he was quite surprised, he couldn't help but feel satisfied. The girl who persistently tortured his girlfriend, causing her so much grief, was being verbally scolded by her mother to the point where she was stumbling over her words. While he was eager to witness more, he knew that time was of the essence as he had a goal to accomplish prior to meeting Lee at the restaurant.

"That's irony for ya," said Eddy as he began his stealthy escape in the opposite direction, "Little Miss Perfect deserves to be on the receiving end of it for once."

As Eddy made his way around the corner with a slight grin, the conversation between the two women continued. Lindsay, was barely able to annunciate her previous words, presumably due to fear, and elected not to complete her sentence. At that point Edyta leaned up towards her face.

"Just what?" asked Edyta in a quiet tone, referencing Lindsay's earlier sentence.

Lindsay paused briefly, before deciding to say her final word in a barely audible manner.

"Better." said Lindsay.

At that point, the petite brunette woman seemed to be sent into a fury. She slammed her hand on the wall as she screamed.

"Listen you little shit," said Edyta, "As far as I'm concerned, I _am_ your mother, and anything you do is a reflection of me. Nobody is better than us, especially when it comes to being beautiful and popular."

Ms. Statorowski angrily dropped her handbag on the ground, after which reached down and unzipped it.

"Your problem is you still haven't learned to take responsibility for your actions," said Ms. Statorowski in a sarcastic tone, as she removed two items from her purse, a cigarette lighter and a half empty glass bottle of a popular lemon flavored iced tea.

At the sight of these two objects, Lindsay's face appeared to adopt an expression of extreme distress. She continued to stare forward, her line of sight remaining above her mother's head and focused on the opposite wall. The woman held the two items she had retrieved out to her side, as she stared angrily up towards her daughters face.

"Your own stupidity put you in this situation," said Ms. Statorowski, "And now you have to deal with the consequences. I think winning Winter Ball Queen would give you a perfect opportunity to redeem yourself."

Ms. Statorowski leaned in towards Lindsay.

"Now let me be clear," said Ms. Statorowski, "You WILL win that crown, no matter what it takes. Here's the deal, your amazon woman ass better come up with a plan to put that little red haired bitch in her place, or you're going to only have one choice to make."

Ms. Statorowski raised her right into the air, and ignited the lighter.

"This," said Ms. Statorowski as Lindsay stared at the flame with fear.

Ms. Statorowski shut off the lighter, and lowered her left hand to toward her side. She proceed to lift her right hand in the air, currently cradling the glass bottle.

"Or this!" yelled Ms. Statorowski, at which point she slammed the bottle against the wall next to Lindsay's head. The bottle instantly shattered, with several segments falling towards the ground as a large shard remained in Ms. Statorowskis hand. The blonde girl winced slightly at the sound of the bottle shattering.

Ms. Statorowski threw the shard remaining in her hand into one of the dumpsters, after which she turned back towards the petrified Lindsay.

"Oh and you if screw up this time." said Ms. Statorowski, "That dream you said you had...it will definitely come true."

Ms. Statorowski turned and began walking down the alleyway.

"C'mon, it's getting late," said Edyta, "Let's get home."

Lindsay remained still for a few moments continuing to stare at the opposite concrete wall. After a few seconds, a tear began to drip down her right cheek; she promptly wiped it off and followed Edyta to the car.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

Back at the Rethink Avenue cul-de-sac, all was calm. The tranquil environment was in complete contrast to the business and excitement surrounding the school talent show. The street itself was completely devoid of life for, due to the harsh bite of old man winters frigid air, all of the residents had elected to take refuge indoors. Keeping with the spirit of the season, and to quote a famous Christmas song, all was also quite bright; the Christmas decorations gracing the lawns of all of the residents, as well as the huge tree acting as the centerpiece, were shining with what seemed to be the brightness of the sun.

It been ten minutes since Ed's mother's vehicle, shuttling herself, Ed, May and Sarah back from the talent show, had pulled into the driveway. The four individuals barely had time to remove their coats upon entering the house, for the telephone had rung, forcing Ed's mother to answer. Ed's mother smiled joyously as she spoke into the transmitter, as the individual on the other end happened to be Ed's father calling from a truck stop in Minnesota. He had called to let the family know that he had made the delivery early, and would be home a day earlier than expected. Ed's mother passed the phone to Ed, allowing her son to wish her father well; however, within five minutes the phone was forcibly taken from Sarah, who ultimately spent twenty minutes telling her father about her day. Ed, as usual, shrugged off Sarah's dominant behavior, after which he escorted May down to his basement room for their movie night.

May was currently sitting in Ed's solitary armchair, wearing her favorite winter outfit; a green sweater with a single yellow flower, blue jeans, and a pair of green slip-on winter shoes. She was currently observing her surroundings, glancing around the room with a smile as she ran her fingers through one of the two blonde ponytails hanging over her shoulders, each secured by blue bows.

As typical during the Christmas season, Ed's room was decorated extensively with his personal ornaments. Various knick knacks of Santa Claus were displayed on the shelves adorning the walls of his room, interspersed with his other science fiction knick knacks. On the far side of the room, Ed had placed a portable wooden mantle, decorated and painted to resemble a fireplace. Above the fireplace hung two stockings, one red with the word "Ed" written on it in gold, and one green with the word "May" written in silver. In the corner of the room stood Ed's personal tree, a miniature version of the house tree standing in the living room. While the tree was not completely decorated, due to using all of the leftover ornaments that could not fit on the main tree, there was no doubt that it was decorated with love.

May's concentration was broken due to the door suddenly flinging to the open position with a bang. Ed had gone upstairs to retrieve sodas, snacks, popcorn and condiments in preparation for their movie night. Accordingly, Ed entered the room cradling three bottles of soda, ten bags of chips, and a bowl of popcorn in his arms, all stacked up high in a cartoonish fashion.

"Special Delivery!" yelled Ed as he wobbled into the room, reaching backward with his foot to kick the door shut, "The snack man is here!"

May giggled as Ed dropped the snacks on the table he had set up in front of his arm chair, after which he placed two glasses on the table, one for him and one for May.

"Oh how romantic!" said May in her usual adenoidal voice, "Glassware instead of plastic cups. You really know how to lay on the charm big Ed!"

"Only the best for my Little May!" said Ed as he switched on the television using a handheld remote. He turned around to face May

"And guess what else!?" asked Ed.

"What?" asked May.

Ed reached behind the television and pulled out a special dish he had prepared while May had gone to use the bathroom a few minutes earlier.

" HOTDOGS!" yelled Ed as he held a paper plate full of microwaved hotdogs out for May to see.

"Yummy!" yelled May excitedly, "My favorite!"

Ed placed the plate of hotdogs down on the table in front of him, after which he turned his attention back to his girlfriend. May batted her eyes and clasped her hands as she slid over to clear space on the armchair for Ed. May, while much more conservative than her sisters regarding flirtatiousness, attempted to portray an amorous expression as she patted the space next to her signifying Ed to take a seat.

Ed smiled, at which point he nervously made his way to the arm chair, and took a seat next to May. The two teenagers sat in silence for a few seconds, both blushing at which point Ed slowly put his arm around May, and pulled her closer to him. May responded by shifting the weight to the sides of her legs, and leaning her head on Ed's shoulder.

While Ed and May had been dating for a few months, things of a physical nature were still quite difficult to them due to their shared innocence; attempts at being more "involved" with each other also seemed to lead to failure, an example being their glue mishap around a week ago. Accordingly, May responded to her nervousness by grabbing an entire hotdog and shoving it into her mouth, as Ed guzzled soda directly out of a bottle for a few moments.

Eventually, Ed placed the bottle back on the table and decided to initiate a conversation.

"Boy oh boy, that talent show sure was fun!" said Ed, "I'm so happy that Lee won, and that we were able to help."

"Yeah," said May, "It was awesome seeing Lee smile like that. That's something you hardly ever see."

"Yep," said Ed, "Especially since that big meanie Lindsay transferred to Peach Creek High. She sure does get Lee's temper up. I don't like her one bit, no no no!"

"Me neither," said May, "You have no idea how mean she can be."

Ed glanced down towards his blonde girlfriend, taking note of her disheartened expression.

"Aww cheer up May!" said Ed as he touched his hand to her chin, "Santa vs the Devil comes on in twenty minutes, and there's no way Lindsay can ruin this night for us."

"I know," said May, "It's just so sad that all of this fighting needs to happen around Christmas. It's supposed to be a season of giving and joy, but now Lee is always upset because Lindsay is back."

May turned towards Ed.

"Ever since we were in Kindergarten, Lindsay has picked on us," said May, "Lindsay hurt Lee's feelings really bad one day, and ever since then she and her group of friends started to bully us. She would make fun of Marie's eye, which gave her body image problems, and she made fun of my buck teeth and the fact that I had a bad lisp."

May grabbed her left pony tail with both of her hands, and began stroking it downward with her left hand, her red nails running though it's smooth strands.

"I always loved wearing ponytails," said May, "But Lindsay made fun of them too, teasing me for looking messy because I had trouble putting them in when Lee wasn't around to help me, and calling me a baby for wearing them in the first place. I started wearing my hair loose because of that, and never dared put them back in my hair until that day we pretended to marry you in my Poppy's house. Even then it was hard, because I was so used to being teased."

Ed watched as May told her story with an angry expression, as he did not tolerate bullying, especially when it involved his little May. However, while he was angry at the fact that May's feelings were hurt that bad by Lindsay's taunts, he continued to listen to May's story.

"It wasn't until Marie started being herself again last February that I felt like I could be myself again too." said May, "But while all the teasing really hurt my feelings, what really hurt is that I felt powerless to stop it, and I never felt like I was helping my sisters as much as I could."

May glanced towards Ed with a teary eyed expression.

"I had to skip recess and got pulled out of class a lot to go to speech therapy." said May, "Because of that, I was spared a lot of the bullying that Lee and Marie got. As I got older, I discovered that I liked sports, and Lee convinced my dad to sign me up for girls tee-ball after school. That hobby eventually turned into softball, and Lee was the one who encouraged me to try out for the YWCA team, and convinced me to keep playing whenever I had a bad game and got down on myself."

May sighed.

"Looking back, while I know Lee supported me all the way, I know it was also her way of keeping me safe, and giving me friends besides her and Marie to count on," said May, "It always bothered me that I kind of got everything handed to me in life compared to my sisters. I'm the only one that has my real dad in my life, I had friends outside of my family to hang out with, and I never really liked to get into trouble. My sisters always call me innocent, and Marie used to play around by calling me a "goodie two shoes", and while that may seem like a good thing, it always hurt me that I could get away from the brunt of the bullying while Lee and Marie had to suffer. I've always been too shy to help and speak up without them around, and I hate that about myself.

May twirled her thumbs as she paused to catch her breath.

"I hate seeing Lee so miserable," said May, "She's helped me so much in life, and I feel like I've never been able to give anything back. And I hate being so shy, I just wish I could suck it up and be bad for once."

May sat in silence for a few moments, after which she slowly felt Ed's finger lift her chin, aiming her eyes up towards his.

"Aww May," said Ed, "Why would you want to ever be bad? You're as sweet as a jawbreaker, and I looooooove jawbreakers!"

Ed smiled happily upon the completion of his compliment. While Ed's gesture was not the most romantic of compliments, it resonated perfectly with the equally positive, happy- go- lucky, sweet treat loving girl. Accordingly, Mays bottom lip trembled as her eyes watered out of happiness. She reached her hands out, embracing Ed in a tight squeeze as she buried her cheek to his chest.

"Oh Ed!" yelled May dreamily, "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Ed and May sat in silence for a few moments, enjoying their loving embrace, at which point a fun idea popped into May's head.

"You know Ed," said May in a whisper, "The movie doesn't start for another fifteen minutes, and I think I found the perfect way to pass the time."

While May attempted to convey a sultry, seductive voice, her natural nasal and adenoidal tone, in addition to her awkwardness regarding "physical interaction", inhibited the effect. Nevertheless, she leaned towards Ed's ear and whispered.

"Let's finish what we started before we got glued," said May.

Ed's face turned red as May slowly pulled her lips away from his ear, after which he giggled dopily. At that point, May lifted her left leg slowly in the air, and while maintaining an awkward amorous grin, attempted to straddle Ed's lap.

Unfortunately, May had picked the wrong night to borrow a pair of Marie's jeans. May, while not overweight, was of a stockier build than Marie; that being said, the jeans she was wearing were two sizes too tight. Within seconds of May lifting her leg, the sound of denim tearing filled the air. The seat of the jeans ripped wide open, exposing the pink panties May was wearing underneath.

May, embarrassed beyond belief, quickly returned to a sitting position next to Ed all the while blushing heavily. Ed maintained a neutral expression, his face red as well, as he continued to stare at the television.

A few seconds passed, after which May decided to speak.

"Well it's official," said May, "I suck at being sexy too."

"That's okay May," said Ed with a smile, "I don't need any of that kind of stuff to like you anyway, I like my Little May just the way she is!"

Ed delivered May a quick kiss on the cheek, at which point the couple glanced toward each other and shared an uncontrollable laugh regarding the previous event.

At the same time Ed and May were enjoying themselves, Eddy was making his way down the main avenue of the business district. Due to the harsh bite of single degree windchill, the usually busy business district was nearly deserted, with the exception of a group of dedicated Christmas Carolers singing a rendition of Jingle Bells.

The sound of the Carolers singing brought a smile to the small Ed boys face as rounded the corner into a dark alleyway; a route that was in fact quite familiar to him. At the end of the alley was a gate leading into a large plot of land, a plot that was once populated with rows of Christmas trees waiting to be harvested and delivered. Only a few small trees remained on display, due to the majority of them being sold, and the fact that Christmas was only a few days away.

Fortunately, Eddy did not have to search long for the individual he was looking for. The loud mouthed boy instantly took notice of a dull orange glow, the source of which was a flame produced by burning firewood inside of an oil drum located at the end of the alley. Next to the drum stood a familiar man; the silhouette of his grey unkempt beard and large body were being projected onto the wooden fence behind him, flickering with the flame as he held his hands out for warmth.

Eddy took a swallow, at which point he took a few steps forward. He opened his mouth in an attempt to speak; however, the man beat him to the punch.

"So you came back, huh kid?"


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

Eddy stood in silence for a few seconds, quite dumbfounded at the fact that Chris had not only sensed his presence, but also correctly identified him with his back turned. Nevertheless, the small Ed boy took a few steps forward, as he sheepishly provided a response.

"Yeah, I guess I am." said Eddy in a rather quiet manner.

"I guess the better question is." said Chris, as he turned around to face Eddy, "Why have you come back?"

Eddy paused briefly before providing a response.

"I need my job back." said Eddy.

Chris removed a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, along with his lighter. He removed one of the white sticks, and held it up to his mouth, after which he provided a response to Eddy's statement.

"Is that so?" asked Chris, as he placed the cigarette in his mouth. He held the lighter up to the free end, and placed his free hand around it as he flicked the flame to life. After taking a brief draw, he removed the cigarette from his mouth, cradling it between the index and middle fingers of his right hand as it hung towards the ground.

"I was an idiot for quitting," said Eddy, "I didn't realize how much I need the money."

"So now ya need the money," said Chris, "What happened to 'telling the old man to keep his chump change, and that his bullshit ain't worth it.'"

Eddy appeared quite surprised at Chris's statement.

"So the Sockhead told ya I said that," said Eddy, as he ground his teeth, "Typical goodie two shoes, I thought he'd be smart enough to just tell you I quit."

"Your friend didn't tell me anything," said Chris, "Let's just say I've been around the block a few times, and even though I'm an old head my ears work just as good as they did when I was twenty five. They are definitely able to pick up when somebody's tryin' to screw me."

Chris turned back towards the oil drum, and picked up a bucket of water sitting next to the steel structure. He proceeded to pour the water into the drum, extinguishing the flame.

"Look kid," said Chris, "It's less than a week till Christmas, and everyone's got their trees. I barely got any business for myself, let alone some kid suddenly desperate for work. It's getting late and I gotta get home. Come back next Christmas."

Chris turned away from Eddy and began walking back towards the main street. However, the heavyset man had barely taken two steps, at which point Eddy dropped to his knees, clasping his hands in a prayer stance.

"Please," said Eddy, "I'm begging ya, I really need this money. I messed up real bad and I don't know where else to turn. C'mon guy, there's gotta be something you need. I'll shovel mud,

I'll polish your truck, hell I'll even clean the outhouse. I'll do anything, anything. Please, please please."

"Alright, alright kid!" yelled Chris, as he suddenly whipped around to face Eddy, "You're gonna start to set off the car alarms if ya keep yelling like that."

Chris walked towards Eddy's position, maintaining eye contact as he did so.

"Now let's talk man to man," said Chris, as he walked past the boys position, "That mean's get off your knees, straighten your back, and learn to speak calmly. Once you've got yourself together meet me in the shack, I'll heat up some hot chocolate. It's cold as a bitch out here."

Eddy remained on his knees as he watched Chris make his way towards the solitary shack located in the rear of the tree farm. A few moments passed, after which he took Chris' advice; he rose back to his feet, straightened his back, took a deep breath and began walking towards the entrance.

Eddy slowly but surely placed his hand on the silver door handle, and opened the heavy brown wooden door; the hinges emitting a long drawn out "creeping sound" due to age and poor lubrication. The stout Ed boy entered the cabin, closed the door behind him, and observed his surroundings.

The inside of the cabin was a relatively claustrophobic, twelve by fourteen space. The walls were covered with brown, 1970's faux wooden paneling, the ceiling consisted of a grid of 2x4 white ceiling tiles, supported by a black "L" channel. One of the tiles near the center of the room had been replaced by a translucent panel, yellowed due to exposure to cigarette smoke, through which shined the fluorescent glow of a shop light. Near the left wall was a brown, fold up table, on which sat piles of notebooks, flyers, and other piece of paper. The desk was also occupied by a coffee cup, an ash tray that had appeared to have been emptied recently, and an older 1970's Lasko desk fan with blue blades. Sitting underneath the desk was a large silver safe, placed in such a way to allow the user of the desk to have leg room when sitting in the large, swivel chair, currently positioned adjacent to it.

Behind the desk, was a metal fold up chair, currently in the deployed position, and positioned directly adjacent to a water cooler. On the other side of the water cooler was another small table, on which sat a coffee maker, along with packets of hot chocolate, sugar, and a small refrigerator to keep the milk fresh.

Chris himself was standing next to this table, pouring hot water he had just boiled into two styrofoam cups. He promptly mixed the drinks using disposable stirrers, tossed them in the trash can, and handed one of the cups to Eddy, keeping one for himself.

"Alright kid," said Chris as he pulled out the large chair and took a seat. He pointed towards the metal fold up chair, "Have a seat, and let's try this again."

Eddy slowly but surely made his way towards the chair, had a seat, and took a sip of his hot chocolate. He sat holding the cup with both of his hands, leaning slightly backward as his feet dangled towards the floor. A few seconds passed, after which he decided to speak.

"Look Chris," said Eddy, "I've had a really rough holiday season full of stress, and it caused me to make some real stupid decisions. One of those was quitting this job, I had no idea how much I needed this money until tonight. Please, can ya find something for me to do."

Chris took a sip of his hot chocolate, after which he snickered slightly.

"It's funny," said Chris, "I've never met any kids your age with this much enthusiasm to work until I met you and your friends. Most kids today don't know the meaning of hard work and want everything handed to them. And yet here you are, begging for me to put ya to work."

Chris paused briefly.

"So if I may ask," said Chris, "What's with the sudden interest in getting your job back. Shouldn't ya be worried about gettin' into trouble with your friends at the mall, or chasing after the young ladies?"

Eddy placed his hot coffee on top of the water cooler, and began twirling his thumbs.

"Ya see," said Eddy, "I don't have to worry about chasing the girls because I got a girlfriend, and she's the reason I'm here."

"No shit," said Chris, in a playful manner as he took a draw of his cigarette, "Well she's gotta be something special to make you this desperate. What's this girl like?"

"Well," said Eddy as he continued to twirl his thumbs, "Her name is Annalee, but I've always called her Lee for short. From a looks standpoint, she's as pretty as can be. She's got long red hair, she's tall and slim, and has a really nice figure. Personality wise, she's as sweet as can be, but she's also a real tough cookie when provoked. When she's pissed, she goes right for the throat. She doesn't look it, but I have no doubt she can take down men twice her size."

Eddy giggled slightly after which he decided to continue.

"But she's also very smart and nice," said Eddy, "When I first met her, we couldn't stand each other. She just moved here from the city with her two sisters, and they used to torture me and my friends. They always chased us around trying to kiss us, force us to be their boyfriends, and also beat us up and took our money. It's a long story, but earlier this year we all became friends after Double Dee started dating her sister, then I found out I actually liked Lee too and we started dating."

"Interesting," said Chris.

"So to get to the point," said Eddy, "Over the last few months, Lee's been getting really spun up over this girl named Lindsay that moved to Peach Creek over the summer. Lee knows her from elementary school back in the city, and apparently she and Lee never got along because Lindsay would always tease her about not having a lot of money growing up, and the fact that Lee was somewhat of a nerd. I don't know all of he details, but all's I know is that Lee really hates her with a passion, and she now spends almost every waking minute trying to one-up her. The newest thing is the school winter ball. I asked Lee if she wanted to go, but she said she'd rather not cause "she's got better things to do than to parade around all night in a dress." But then, Lindsay shows up and talks about how she's gonna win this stupid winter ball queen crown, and all of the sudden Lee's all gung ho about going."

Eddy took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"I don't know what to do," said Eddy, "This Christmas seasons got me so confused. I hate Lindsay for making Lee so miserable, and I thought that she was the root of the problem. At first I took this job to buy Lee a dress for the ball as a Christmas present, but then I remembered how much she hates fancy schmancy stuff, so I decided to try to get Lindsay off of her back. Hell, I even came up with a plan to use my foreign friends weird cultures to drive Lindsay away, but it didn't work. I quit my job out of frustration over that, and the fact that I had no idea what to get Lee for Christmas until tonight."

Eddy paused.

"Tonight, we performed together at the school talent show," said Eddy, "Right before the performance, Lee commented on how she actually liked getting dressed up for the performance and how much she's excited for us to get dressed up again next week. It was then I realized that maybe I was right from the start, and a custom dress may actually be just what I need to make Lee's Christmas a good one."

"Goddamn," said Chris as he puffed his cigarette, "That's some crazy shit right there."

Chris flicked his cigarette into the ash tray, after which he turned his attention back to Eddy. Eddy reached into his pocket and retrieved his brown leather wallet, the corner of which remained attached to the chain securing it to his pants for safety. He proceeded to open it, rummaging through its main pocket for a few seconds, after which he found what he was looking for; a headshot of Lee in her white cap and gown for eighth grade graduation, clasping her diploma in her hands near her shoulder right shoulder as she smiled. He passed the photograph to Chris.

"This is Lee," said Eddy as he handed the photograph to Chris with a smile.

Chris removed a pair of reading glasses from his coat pocket, unfolded them, and placed them. On his face, he examined the picture briefly with a smile.

"Oh yeah, she's cute," said Chris, as he handed the picture back to Eddy, "Definitely a catch, reminds me of my high school crush, Eleanor "Ellie" Bennet. Man oh man, I was crazy about her from the first time I saw her. She had shoulder length red hair, a banging body, green eyes with long eyelashes, and a sweet voice. But it was those freckles, she had these cute freckles that would appear when the sun hit her face just in the right spots, like an artist drew them on."

Chris paused briefly, taking a puff of his cigarette, after which he decided to continue.

"Funny story," said Chris, "It took me months to get the balls to finally talk to her. She sat next to me in math class, and I noticed that she got hundreds all all of her tests. Now I gotta tell I don't know shit about math other than what I need to run my business, so my grades were tanked. So I decided to crack open the door by asking her to tutor me after school, and she said yes."

"Way to go man!" said Eddy in a playful manner, "Way to lay on the Nicklaus magic!"

Eddy and Chris shared a laugh, after which he decided to continue his story.

"Now listen up kid cause I'm gonna tell ya a story that might help ya make a decision regarding your situation," said Chris, "After a few weeks of being tutored by Ellie, I decided to finally try to ask her out. It just so happened that the timing coincided with Christmas, so I decided to break the ice with a gift. Now that year, there was one thing that girls wanted: a pair of new, hip-hugging, bell-bottom jeans made by some company I can't even remember the name of. Obviously, my first choice was to get Ellie a pair of those pants, but I quickly realized that it wasn't going to happen. I may of had a thick head of hair back then, but I didn't have a pot to piss in, in terms of cash."

Chris took another draw of his cigarette.

"So because the jeans were out the window, I had to come up with an alternate plan," said Chris, "I found out that Ellie loved the ocean, and wanted to be a marine biologist when she grew up. So I got the brilliant idea to make her a necklace made of seashells and shark teeth, to show her that I listened to her and really appreciated her life's passions. Unfortunately, I ain't no Picasso or Michelangelo, and it really showed in my craftsmanship. But it was straight from the heart, and I figured that's all that counts."

"So ya got the girl, right?," asked Eddy with a smile.

"What are ya crazy!," yelled Chris, "Hell no I didn't get the girl. The most I got was a slap upside the face, and a lecture on animal rights. Apparently using shark teeth to make the necklace 'perpetuated a culture of violence' and made me Satan's right hand man. Jokes on her, those teeth were fake, I bought those off some bum on the street selling them for a nickel."

Chris laughed as he took one final draw of his cigarette, after which he pressed the butt out in the ash tray.

"I don't get it." said Eddy in a confused manner, "Ya got shot down by the girl of your dreams over a shitty gift, how's that supposed to help me?"

"Kid," said Chris as he leaned towards Eddy, "The moral of the story is that I was so hung up on trying to find something material to present to Ellie, that I didn't take the time to really get to know what she was all about. Any idiot with green paper in his pocket can get his hand on a pair of jeans, or make a seashell necklace, but the truth is if you take a step back and look at the big picture, the best gifts are in fact those that are immaterial in nature."

Chris paused.

"Obviously, Ellie and I were never meant to be," said Chris, "But if I would have taken the time to listen to her, I would have known that shark tooth necklace wasn't the best idea. Perhaps a simple trip down to the ocean, or a walk on the beach would have satisfied her."

"I hear what you're saying," said Eddy, "But with Lee, I'm shit out of luck in terms of ideas aside from the ball gown. The only things she really likes are math, science and ballet, but she gets mad if I ever bring up the fact that she does cause she wants to maintain this whole bad girl reputation."

Chris snickered.

"You love this girl?" asked Chris.

Eddy blushed slightly, after which he shook his head up and down as he smiled. Chris' face transitioned to that of a sly grin as he folded his arms.

"Listen, you seem dead set on this dress, so I'll cut ya a deal just cause I like ya kid," said Chris, "I got a lot of cleaning up to do around the tree farm, and a few extra last minute deliveries to make. The township says I have to be out of here Christmas Eve, and there's a lot of shit I need to move out. Since school lets out for winter break in few days, how's about I let ya come in and help me out for a few hours every night after six. And just for you, I'll let ya come in on the weekends too. My rate should cover Annalee's ball gown."

Eddy's eyes lit up with happiness, at which point he jumped out of the chair and grabbed Chris' hand in his.

"Thank you, thank you thank you!" yelled Eddy as he shook Chris's hand vigorously, "You're a life saver man, I won't let ya down I promise!"

"Alright, alright!" yelled Chris, "Calm down Spaz!"

Eddy calmed down slightly, and retook his seat in the chair.

"Now," said Chris, "Before you go, I'll leave you with one more piece of advice. I have no doubt that a gown will make your girl happy, but I'm telling ya I guarantee there is something better. I know you've been spinning your wheels hard over the few days about making Annalee's Christmas a good one, but trust me if you just relax, everything will fall into place."

Chris stood up, took a few steps towards Eddy, and leaned down to the stout Ed boys eye level.

"Remember this." said Chris, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, material possessions are overrated, and there's more to every story than meets the eye."

Chris stood up straight, turned around, and returned to his desk, leaving Eddy to ponder exactly what the large man had meant by his previous statement.

A few seconds passed, after which Chris decided to chime in once again.

"Anyway," said Chris as he organized a stack of papers on his desk, his back turned towards Eddy. "I can't put ya to work tonight, but I can start ya tomorrow night after six. Don't go blabbin' about this to those friends of yours, I only got enough work for one person."

Chris paused for a few seconds prior to continuing.

"Besides," said Chris, "I gotta get out of here, I got shit I gotta take care of at home. It's five minutes till eight anyway, don't you have school tomorrow?"

Eddy was quickly broken from his thoughts at the completion of Chris's previous statement.

"What!?" yelled Eddy, as he whipped his head toward the wall mounted clock mounted directly above his position.

Sure enough, the clock read five minutes till eight. This posed a problem for the small Ed boy, as he had promised to meet Lee, Tabby and Rod at the restaurant fifteen minutes ago.

"Shit, I gotta go," yelled Eddy as he dashed toward the door, flinging it open with force, stopping briefly to turn and shake Chris's hand one final time.

"Thanks again Chris, I appreciate it!" yelled Eddy in a frantic manner as he wildly shook Chris' hand, "I'll see ya tomorrow six sharp. I won't disappoint ya!"

With that statement, Eddy let go of Chris' hand, and began his mad dash through the tree lot, leaning fully forward with his arms outstretched as he always did when running. While Eddy had changed a lot over the course of the year, his bad habit of sticking his tongue out when running was still quite prominent.

Chris made his way over toward the door, standing in the threshold with his arms folded as he watched Eddy disappear around the corner, on his way to the Italian restaurant. Chris maintained his position for a few seconds, after which he uttered a few simple words.

"Don't let me down kid"


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

Back in the residential area of Peach Creek, all was quite tranquil on Haventhought Way, Rethink Avenue's sister cul-de-sac. While most of the houses in the development had been completed and subsequently occupied, two of the homes seated in proximity to the inlet still needed to receive a proper roof and paint job.

The township had yet to install any public lighting on the thouroughfair; the street was almost pitch black, the only sources of light being that emanating from the interior of the residences, and the large tree placed in the center of Rethink avenue. The envelope of darkness was quickly interrupted, as a black BMW sedan had just made the turn from the cross street into the cul-de-sac, it's cream colored high beams growing in intensity as it approached the roundabout. Upon reaching the roundabout, the vehicle veered left, eventually pulling into the driveway at the base of a relatively large, three story house.

The house was of a modern, Victorian style, the most prominent features being a gable roof, ornate cherry shutters around the windows, and a circular turret projecting from the left corner of the house. The turret spanned the two upper floors, housed a large circular bay window for each floor, and was topped by a conical cornice. On the flat surface of the facade, a single double hung window sat in the center of the triangle formed by the gable roof, serving the third floor. Below, two double hung windows served the second floor, the bottom boundaries of which coincided with the roof of the ornate porch. The porch itself ran along half the length of the house; a large picture window, acting a viewport for the spacious living room sat underneath the roof. The entry way to the house sat on the right side of the porch, and consisted of a set of thin double doors, leading into an ornate vestibule.

The driveway leading to the two car garage at the basement level of the house, was of a slight downward grade. At the end of the driveway were two large bay doors, functioning as vehicular entry ways into the garage. As the vehicle approached the left entryway, the automated system sensed it's presence and began opening the door.

The sleek, black vehicle entered the spacious garage, at which point the bay door began closing behind it. The garage itself was well lit by two large shop lights. In the rear was a large work bench, with various wrenches, hammers, and other tools hanging from the peg board. Several lockers and large tools boxes flanked the main bench, including several other shelves containing what seemed like hundreds of automotive accessories (oil, coolant, oil filter wrench's etc.). On the opposite side of the garage were several tanks similar to those used to fill helium balloons, filled with unknown gases, as well as a large capacity air compressor complete with air tool accessories; the most prominent of which was an impact wrench not unlike those commonly used by pit crews to quickly change tires in NASCAR events. The overall theme of the garage was that of an automotive shop; it was obvious that an experienced and passionate mechanic had built it.

While the shop itself was quite impressive, the highlight of the garage was the owners prized possession: a blue 1959 Cadillac DeVille, complete with retractable roof and signature fins and "pin tail-lights". The owner had upgraded the vehicle to modern emissions standards, (against his wishes), in order to utilize his favorite make and model as his daily driver. Aside from upgrading it to be able to pass state inspection, it had been restored to appear as if it had just come off of the assembly line.

The BMW stopped in a position directly next to the Cadillac, at which point the driver deactivated the headlights and shut off the engine. The passenger and drivers side doors opened simultaneously, and the occupants, Lindsay and Edyta Statorowski emerged separately. The two women shut the vehicles doors, and began making their way toward the solitary door leading into the houses den, neither saying a word to each other, nor making eye contact.

The den of the house was a cozy 12x15 space. On the far wall from the door leading into the garage, was a small anteroom, leading to a laundry room, recreation room (equipped with a foosball and pool table) and the stairs leading up to the first floor area. On one of the perpendicular walls sat a marble mantle, equipped with a fireplace, the flames within filling the room with a flickering orange glow. The walls were decorated with genuine, cherry wood paneling, and were adorned with various photographs of Lindsay as an infant, graduating pre-school, and receiving communion. Mounted on the back wall was a large golden plaque, acting as the centerpiece: Inscribed on the plaque were the following words:

Research Excellence Award

Charles Joseph Statorowski, pHD

Mechanical Engineer

CEO Imaging Sciences International

Presented for Profound Contributions in the field of Diagnostic Imaging.

Two large bookshelves occupied the walls of the room, containing text books on various engineering topics, including "Heat and Mass Transfer, Classical Electrodynamics, Nuclear Physics, and Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Principles".

In between the book shelves were two reclining arm chairs. One of the arm chairs was occupied by a man who appeared to be in his late thirties. The man when standing, stood six foot two inches, and while not necessarily muscular, appeared to carry a fit build. He was was currently wearing a red flannel shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of brown bedroom slippers. His blonde hair, typical gelled to the front in a biff style, was relaxed just as he was; the chair was reclined, and his feet were kicked up and crossed, as he read a rather thick book titled "Semiconductor Physics and Devices".

At that point, the door leading into the den from the garage opened with an audible creek. Edyta entered the room first, a smile adorning her face, with Lindsay following suit, cradling her grey designer handbag over her shoulder. While Lindsay was still quite shaken up regarding the tongue lashing she had received earlier that night, she for whatever reason, decided to muster up a false smile, attempting to portray complacency.

"We're home!" said Edyta in a long drawn out manner as she entered the room, her Polish accent quite pronounced as she enunciated her words.

The man marked his book, after which he closed it, placed it on the table adjacent to the chair, and looked towards the two women with a smile.

"Hey, there's my girls!" said Mr. Chuck Statorowski, in an exuberant manner.

"Sorry for leaving you alone for so long, słoneczko," said Edyta as she walked towards Chuck, pinching his cheek as he spoke, "But we saw some cute scarves in the window of that new department store on the way home and couldn't resist stopping to check them out."

"Sounds like you two had a blast as usual," said Chuck as he brought the chair to an upright position. As he and his wife spoke, Lindsay made her way over to the second arm chair. She kicked her brown high heeled boots off, plopped herself down on the cushion, and reclined the chair.

"So Scout," said Chuck as he glanced towards his daughter with a radiant smile, "How was the movie?"

At that point, Edyta had made her way towards stairs leading to the first floor. Prior to answering her father, Lindsay's eyes darted towards Edyta. The two women locked eyes for a brief second, with Lindsay continuing to display a smile as Edyta discretely flared hers, as if indicating a subtle threat to the blonde haired teenager.

Within an instant, Lindsay returned her focus to her father, and decided to reply.

"It was okay," said Lindsay, "I mean, it wasn't as good as everyone said it was, but it was still worth it. Of course, you know the guy fell in love with her at the end and they got married. It was a typical chick flick, so predictable ugh!"

Chuck giggled slightly at Lindsay's comment, at which point Lindsay turned her attention back toward Edyta. The petite woman simply nodded while maintaining a neutral expression,p. She then proceeded to begin making her way upstairs, intent on showering and removing her makeup.

As Edyta took her leave, Chuck decided to continue the conversation.

"Yep, that's why I avoid them!" said Chuck, "But you know what's fun and unpredictable...?"

Lindsay turned towards Chuck, her disposition had seemingly changed. She now seemed much more comfortable, and was currently displaying a genuine smile.

"What?..." she said in a sarcastic manner.

Chuck quickly grabbed his book off of the table, and held the cover up towards Lindsay.

"Quantum Physics!" yelled Chuck exuberantly.

Lindsay reached over and slapped Chuck in a playful manner, at which point the two shared a laugh.

"Seriously Daddy," said Lindsay, "You're such a dork!"

"Hey, getting you out of here allowed me to kill five chapters without being called a nerd every two seconds!" said Chuck, "That's a new record!"

The two individuals shared a laugh, after which Chuck decided to continue.

"You know Baby Girl," said Chuck, "You two have been spending so much time together lately, and as much as I miss you handing me my tools when I restored the Caddy, and coming to work with me as my special little assistant to help me out with the finances, I'm glad to see you branching out and being yourself."

Lindsay briefly appeared as if she were attempting to hold back tears at the sound of Chucks statement. However, the slim blonde quickly shook away her feelings, and brought a smile back to her face as she leaned back and stared towards the ceiling.

Lindsay grabbed the television remote off of the table, and attempted to turn on the wall mounted plasma television. However, just before she pressed the button, she felt Chuck place his hands on hers. She promptly turned to meet eyes with her father, who appeared to be displaying an expression of concern.

"No more of _that,_ right?" said Chuck.

Lindsay slowly turned towards Chuck, eventually making eye contact with the slim man. There was a brief moment moment of silence, after which Lindsay responded be shaking her head slowly in a horizontal direction.

"No," said Lindsay quietly, "No more."

Chuck smiled, after which he returned to a relaxed position. As Lindsay began scanning through the TV guide, attempting to find something to watch, Chuck decided to pose an additional question.

"So, if I dare ask again," said Chuck, "Have you given any thought to what you wanted for Christmas?"

"No," said Lindsay, as she remained focused on the television, "I haven't decided yet."

Lindsay turned her head towards Chuck.

"How about you?" said Lindsay, "What do you want?"

Chuck rose up from his seated position, grabbing his empty drink cup as he did so.

"I'm happy as long as my little Scout is happy." said Mr. Statorowski as he placed his free hand on Lindsay's head and rubbed her hair, a common display of affection that the two had shared since Lindsay was a little girl.

Chuck proceeded to make his way out of the den, disappearing around the corner and up the stairs to prepare for bed. Lindsay scanned through the channels for a few more seconds, after which she deactivated the tv, and violently slammed the remote onto the table as if she were frustrated. She then leaned back, folded her arms, and let out a sigh as she stared towards the ceiling.

A half-hour had passed, and Lindsay had relocated to her bedroom. In preparation for retiring to bed, she had removed her makeup and earrings, showered, and had changed into her bed wear of choice; a green, knee-length, sleeveless night gown, with white shoulder straps and frilly white lace trim. In addition, she had once again tied her blonde wavy hair up into a tight bun.

While the blonde diva's bed time preparations were complete, she still had a few areas of unfinished business to attend to. After ensuring that her hair was properly secured, she made her way towards her bedroom door, placed her finger on the small button mounted on the knob, and slowly pushed it to the locked position. The tall, slim girl then proceed to tip toe toward her bed, being cautious as to avoid creeping the floorboards.

Upon reaching the bed, Lindsay kneeled down onto the floor, placed her hands underneath the bed, and slowly but surely slid a silver safe from underneath. As soon as the safe was clear from the bed, she quickly entered the combination by turning the rotary dial. With the sound of a slight click, indicating a successful combination entry, Lindsay gingerly lifted the lid to an open position.

Once the lid was open, Lindsay reached into her prized handbag, currently sitting on the floor adjacent to her bed, and removed the silver second-place trophy she had received earlier that night. She held it in her hands for a few moments, admiring the finish with a melancholy expression, at which point she uttered a few words to herself.

"That bitch isn't going to take everything away from me," said Lindsay, "I'm proud to lose to you and glad you won, you deserved it."

Lindsay had been ordered by Edyta to discard the trophy in the dumpster, as "it was a reminder of her embarrassing performance", however Lindsay had managed to smuggle it back to the house undetected for safe keeping.

Lindsay placed the trophy into the box, which contained a myriad of other items: these items included a a few photographs of Lindsay as a kindergartener, standing next to her best friend Lee; in fact, the photographs were carbon copies of the photographs Lee kept in her bedroom vanity. Lindsay's half of the "best friends forever" drawing she and Lee had collaborated on was also stored in this lock box, placed in a cellophane envelope similar to those comic book collectors use to protect their items (a precaution following the Rolf incident), and a thick blue photo album with the word "family" written on the front of it. Lastly, tucked away in the corner of the box were several golden trophies. the trophies appeared to have been awarded for outstanding acheivements in basketball; each depicted a statue of a female basketball player in various poses, and were inscribed with various statementa including "shooter of the year" and "theee point contest winner".

Lindsay stared at the interior of the box for a few moments, at which point she reached inside and removed a pair of black rimmed glasses. She held the child-sized frames in her hands, observing the artifact with a somber expression. While the frames themselves were in tact, with the exception of the nose bridge (held together with a thick wrapping of tan masking tape), the glass lenses had been destroyed; the left lens was completely missing, while the right appeared to have been shattered, displaying a "spider pattern" typical of broken glass. The overall appearance of the damaged spectacles seemed to convey that they had been destroyed by a violent event.

Lindsay, her eyes glassy due to the formation of tears, held the spectacles out in front of her for a few more moments, after which she placed them back into the box. She then removed the blue family photo album, and proceeded to open it.

Lindsay spent the next few minutes paging through the book, each leaf containing three to four photographs depicting Lindsay's family. The photographs depicted what appeared to be a young Chuck, along with several other members of his family at what appeared to be a reunion; at a time prior to Lindsay's birth.

One particular picture depicted Chuck on the beach, surrounded by his family. Chuck stood in the center of the photograph, smiling heavily as he placed his arms around two women standing next to him; one appearing to be a middle aged brunette, and the other a blonde woman around the same age as Chuck. The two women embraced a pair of young men with the arms opposite of Chuck, who accordingly embraced several other individuals of all ages in a daisy chain fashion.

Lindsay smiled as she removed the photograph from the membrane. She turned it over to read the back, which was labeled with all of the individuals names who appeared in the photograph: Richard, Matt, Bridgette, Tommy, Mom, Charles, Tiffany, Lance, Edward. She turned the photograph back over, observing its contents for a few more seconds, after which she placed it back into the album and closed it.

Lindsay then removed the photographs of her and Lee from the box, paging through them as a tear began to slowly drop down the left side of her face. She placed the pictures down gently, after which she lifted her head, glancing toward the wall as if in deep thought.

At that point, Lindsay detected movement from the direction of the night stand in her peripheral vision. The source of the motion was a piece of stationary hanging halfway out of the drawer, flapping due to the floor heating register located directly below. Lindsay rose to her feet, walked towards the drawer, and removed the piece of paper for examination.

On the single sheet was the poem Eddy had plagiarized from his English textbook, and delivered to Lindsay a few nights prior on behalf of Rolf. Lindsay's eyes scanned the latter, rolling sarcastically as she re-read the lines. Not only was the poem completely copied verbatim, but Eddy's distinct handwriting was comparable to chicken scratch, and highly illegible.

At that realization, Lindsay's eyes suddenly widened as if an idea appeared in her head. She remained frozen for a few seconds, staring at Eddy's distinct penmanship. As she pondered the words, her mind was brought back to a conversation between the Ed's she had happened to overhear a few days prior; at that point an expression of complacency filled her face.

Lindsay folded the letter in half, and placed it into her handbag for safe keeping. She glanced at herself in the vanity mirror one last time, as she uttered a few more words to herself.

"Looks like I just found out how I'm going to win that crown" said Lindsay, "But at what cost?"

Lindsay proceeded to lay down in her bed, placing her hands on her abdomen while interlocking her fingers.

"I'm sorry I have to do this LeeLee," said Lindsay, "Hopefully one day you'll understand."

Lindsay sighed, closed her eyes briefly, and glanced towards the ceiling.

"I wish it were you instead of me..." said Lindsay as she stared to toward the ceiling with a somber expression.

A few seconds passed, after which Lindsay decided to relax herself by listening to music. She placed a pair of earbuds into her ears, plugged them into her portable radio, and turned on the device.

Unfortunately, the radio was currently tuned to the "80's Classic Rock block"; the moment happened to coincide with the beginning of the chorus of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by def Leppard. At the mere sound of the song, Lindsay pulled the earbuds out of her ears in frustration, threw them across the room, turned off the lamp, and rested her head on the pillow in preparation for sleep. prior to closing her eyes, she whsipered a few words to herself.

"What do I want for Christmas?," said Lindsay, "I want everything to go back to the way it used to be, and I want my best friend back."


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

Eddy had ran as fast as he could through the town business district, bumping and pushing his way through the crowds of windows shoppers in an effort to make it to the restaurant as promised. Fortunately, Eddy had managed to make it to the restaurant, just as the Kankers were checking in.

Eddy's entrance was quite obnoxious, not unlike the obnoxious stunt he and his friends had pulled at one of Nazz's summer sprinkler parties. The small Ed boy had charged into the restaurant through the wooden doors, neglecting the fact that a fancy red runner had been laid just behind. Eddy's foot caught a small edge of the runner, causing him to trip and fall into a "log roll". Eddy's instinctively reaction was to grab the side of the long carpet, resulting in the carpet wrapping him up as he rolled. After rolling for a few feet, the friction of the marble floor finally stopped the human sushi roll; his final position being one in which his protruding head was directly at Lee's feet. Eddy, still stunned by his fall gazed outward, his eyes taking note of Lee's signature high heeled boots; he tipped his head downward relative to his body, resulting in him training his gaze upward toward the ceiling.

Lee had changed out of her ballet attire, and had donned her usual winter outdoor wear; an emerald green designer coat, tight blue jeans, and black high heeled boots with white trim. She had released her hair from the confines of it's tight bun, allowing her red curls to once again hang over her shoulders, while being held away from her eyes from a matching green headband. Her glasses had been placed back on her face, allowing her to see clearly once again. While others might be nervous about performing without any form of corrective eyewear, due to profound nearsightedness, Lee showed absolutely no apprehension. This was due to her having to deal with her vision problems without corrective eyewear for ten years; the glasses she had worn as a child had been rendered unusable, and due to the Kankers financial situation (and Lee's refusal to wear them), she had not gotten a new pair until the end of eighth grade.

While the mistake did not go over too well with all of the patrons, (who had expected a calm, sophisticated night), as well as the cultured staff, the Kankers found it quite amusing. Lee simply smiled, leaned down, and kissed her boyfriend on the lips. She, Tabby, Rod, and the staff then helped release Eddy from his carpet prison, after which they sat down and enjoyed their dinner.

At the same time that Lindsay was conducting her bed time routine, Rods red pickup truck was making it's way down Rethink Avenue, shuttling he, Tabby, Lee and Eddy home from their Italian dinner. Eddy and Lee sat in the back seat, with Rod driving and Tabby taking her place in the front passenger seat. Tabby had been attempting to quit smoking, and had limited herself to one cigarette a day after dinner; with her plan being to wean herself off gradually. Accordingly, she had lowered the passenger window slightly, cradling the cigarette between her right index and middle finger, while holding the smoldering end out the window between draws.

The truck eventually found its way into the Kankers driveway, at which point Rod shifted the vehicle into park, deactivated it's headlights, and turned off the engine. The four occupants exited the vehicle, with Tabby and Rod conversing as they made their way up the gravel path, and into the front door, leaving Lee and Eddy outside to say their goodbyes and good nights.

The two teenagers made their way around to the rear of the truck from opposite directions, and met in the vicinity of the tail gate. Lee smiled as she approached her diminutive boyfriend, initiating a conversation as she approached.

"Well Little Man," said Lee playfully, "That was fun, but I think it's time we call it a night!

"Yeah," said Eddy, "All that dancing wore me out, those lifts can really take a toll on you."

"What the hell!" said Lee angrily as she leaned down to meet Eddy at eye level, "What are you saying I'm too fat for ya!?"

Eddy's face suddenly turned red, assuming a nervous expression.

"No, No," said Eddy frantically, "I was just saying that it was a lot of work and..."

Lee placed her hand over Eddy's mouth silencing him.

"Jeez Louise," said Lee, "We've been dating for eight months, you'd think you'd know by now when I'm kidding!"

Lee giggled slightly.

"But I'll let it slide cause it's cute," said Lee as she smiled. She reached down and squeezed his bicep "Besides, with those rock hard biceps you can definitely stand to lift more than little old me."

Lee purred playfully as she as she felt his muscle, causing Eddy to blush and smile, after which she let out a slight giggle. She then took Eddy's hands in hers, and continued speaking.

"Well, I guess this is good night," said Lee.

"Yep," said Eddy, "I guess it is."

There was a pause as both teenagers stared into each others eyes with a smile; Eddy's eyes appearing infatuated as he admired Lee's blue eyes, currently surrounded by black eye liner, and somewhat obscured by the reflection of her lenses. A few seconds passed, after which his trance was finally broken by Lee's playful antics

"Well what the hell are ya waiting for," said Lee, "Are ya gonna kiss me, or not?"

Eddy smiled lovingly, at which point he tiptoed in an effort to reach Lee's lips. The tall girl responded by kneeling down slightly, and touching her lips to his. The two teenagers remained locked in their kiss for what seemed like an eternity to them, although it lasted all but thirty seconds.

The two eventually pulled away, at which point they lovingly stared at each other for a few seconds. Eddy eventually broke the silence.

"Goodnight Babe," said Eddy with a flirty grin as he turned away and began walking towards his house, "See ya in school tomorrow."

"Goodnight sweetie," said Lee, "Sweet dreams."

Eddy turned away, and began making his way towards his yellow ranch house. Lee, rather than escaping the cold winter air, opted to remain still. She watched Eddy walk a few paces with an expression of concern on her face, at which point she decided to yell in his direction.

"Hey Eddy!" yelled Lee, using her gentle, motherly tone of voice, albeit in a higher amplitude.

Eddy stopped is his tracks, and turned to face his girlfriend.

"Yes Lee?" asked Eddy.

Lee hastily made her way toward Eddy's position with a jog, a difficult feat considering her heels, which clicked loudly on the pavement with each step. She eventually reached Eddy, and leaned down to meet him eye to eye.

"Can I umm...tell you something?" asked Lee rather sheepishly, in complete contrast to her usual persona.

"Yeah, sure," said Eddy, appearing to convey concern as well.

"Well...uh you see," said Lee, "You know how Lindsay and I have this feud between us?"

"Yeah," said Eddy, "Like I didn't notice before?

Eddy and Lee shared a giggle, at which point Lee decided to continue.

"Well, I just thought I'd be honest with you and tell you," said Lee, "Tell you that...that..."

Lee struggled to get her words out, as Eddy awaited for the completion of her sentence with confusion; it was not like the articulate Lee to stumble over her words. Finally, Lee's apparent nervousness got the best of her, and she decided to finally finish, albeit with a different intention than originally planned.

"Tell you that I always hated that little bitch," said Lee, "Ever since we were little she has tried to one up me, and act like she's hot shit. That's why I go so far to try to beat her at everything she does. She gets everything handed to her in life, and I want to show her that if I'm around she ain't getting everything."

Lee paused for a brief moment, prior to continuing.

"Anyway, my original reason for this whole ballet thing was to beat her," said Lee, "But after watching you improve so much, and spending so much time dancing together, I really started to enjoy it."

Lee leaned down into Eddy's face with a smile.

"Just because we won doesn't mean we have to stop," said Lee, "If you want, we can get together every Friday night and dance together. I can show you some more advanced techniques...that is if you want to."

Lee stared into her boyfriends eyes with nervousness for a few moments, at which point Eddy decided to reply with an overconfident grin.

"Sure thing Babe," said Eddy, "I'd like that, besides I gotta keep up with it to maintain these new guns!"

Eddy confidently flexed his bicep, causing Lee to giggle.

"Sounds great," said Lee, "Well, goodnight see ya tomorrow cutie!"

"Yep," said Eddy, "See ya tommorow!"

The two teenagers shared one more kiss, after which they went their separate ways. While Eddy continued to display a grin all the way to his bedroom door, Lee's smile disappeared as she turned away from her lover, being replaced with a melancholy expression.

It didn't take long for Lee to reach the oak door leading into her house. She promptly opened it, entered, and quickly closed it behind her to avoid infiltration of the bitter chill. She removed her green coat, revealing a pink long sleeved shirt underneath, and opened the closet door located adjacent to the front entry. She carefully hung the coat on one of the free hangers, closed the door, and made her way up the flight of five stairs leading to the upper level of the house.

As Lee made her way to her bedroom, she passed Rod and Tabby's bedroom located at the top of the stairs. Inside the two adults were making preparation to retire for bed, Rod sat on the bed sliding on his bedtime lounge pants, while Tabby stood at her vanity tying her hair up for sleeping. As Rod finished getting changed, he decided to begin a conversation.

"Well that was a definition of a good night," said Rod, "We got to see our little girl perform for the first time, and win at that, and then we got to eat at the best restaurant in town."

Tabby surprisingly did not respond, rather she stared into the mirror with a slight frown. Rod took notice of her irresponsible and turned towards her, taking notice of her expression in the reflection.

"Hey honey, what's bothering you?" asked Rod as he stood up, and relocated himself to a position adjacent to Tabby. He placed his arm around his wife's shoulder as he spoke to her through the mirror reflection, "You barely said a word since we left the school."

Tabby waited a few moments prior to responding.

"Sorry," said Tabby, "It's just so hard. Seeing her up on stage, the way she walks, the way she smiles...she reminds me so much of her, and it hurts."

"Tab," said Rod, "I know it's hard but..."

"You don't even know," said Tabby as a tear began rolling down her cheek. A few seconds passed, at which point she turned, buried her face into Rods chest, and sobbed uncontrollably. Rod responded by squeezing his wife tightly in a loving embrace.

Outside in the hallway, Lee had finally reached her bedroom. She opened the door, and flicked on the light switch, fully illuminating the red and pink room. She spent the next few minutes removing her clothes, discarding them in her hamper, after which she donned a loose pink t-shirt and a pair of flannel pants in preparation for bed.

After tying her hair up, and removing her glasses for storage in the case, Lee laid down on her back, crossing her legs at the ankles and folding her hands on her abdomen. She laid in silence for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling, after which she uttered a few words to herself.

"You mean the world to me, and it hurts me not to be honest with you, but it's just so hard." said Lee, "I love her like a sister, and I hate seeing her like this."

At the conclusion of her statement, the red headed teenager leaned over, and grasped the pull chain to her table lamp. With an audible click, the room was shrouded in darkness. Lee laid her head on her pillow, pondering her situation as she drifted off into the realm of dreams.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

It was 8:00 a.m.; the dawn of a new day a Peach Creek High School. The day, however, was quite a miserable one, as the Peach Creek residents woke up to cloudy skies. The temperature was not quite cold enough to produce snow and the result was a consistent, steady rain. Many of the students were quite exhausted, due to attending the talent show the previous night, and the dreary weather did not serve to lift anyone's mood in the slightest. Nevertheless, the hallways were once again filled with students, exchanging their books at their lockers as they conversed with friends.

The inside of the boys restroom was relatively quiet, in contrast to the boisterous atmosphere of the hallway. Inside, Eddy had just finished relieving himself at one of the wall-mounted urinals, and had washed his hands utilizing one of the marble sinks. After drying his hands, using a short section of cheap brown paper towel common in public restrooms, the stout Ed boy remained in place in front of the mirror, admiring his reflection.

While Eddy had worn his typical yellow sweater to school, he had temporality removed it after relieving himself. Under his sweater, he donned a black sleeveless shirt, similar to the one he had worn the previous night. It seemed that the compliments he had received from Lee and his friends had boosted the already over-confident Eddy's self esteem to even greater heights; he was currently admiring himself in the mirror, slicking his hair back while flexing his muscles, all the while displaying a sly grin.

Eddy's focus was quickly interrupted, as the bathroom door suddenly opened with an audible squeak. At that point, Double Dee entered the space, wearing his typical red shirt/ yellow tie combination, and carrying his blue "man-bag". At the sound of the door opening, Eddy grabbed his yellow sweater (currently hanging next to the sink), and thrust it down over his head. He reactivated the sink faucet, and pretended to be in the midst of washing his hands in an attempt to hide his vanity.

"Good morning Eddy!" said Double Dee exuberantly as he passed his friend on the way to the adjacent sink.

"Hey Sockhead," said Eddy as he turned off the faucet, proceeding to re-dry his hands, "What's happening?"

"Oh just the usual preparations for the upcoming academic day!" said Double Dee as he rested his bag on the ground . He began to adjust his tie, ensuring the knot was perfectly centered, and examined his shirt for any loose threads.

"Geez Double Dee," said Eddy, "Don't ya spend enough time at home showering and ironing your clothes? What are ya some kind of fashionista?"

"I see nothing wrong with one having the desire to appear presentable," said Double Dee, "Besides, judging by your quick reaction upon my entrance to the bathroom, it seems that you yourself have been stricken with the desire for vanity ever since Lee's ballet lessons led to your muscles undergoing hyperatrophy!"

"Hey don't be jealous of these guns," said Eddy as he flexed once again, "If ya want, I can show ya some pointers."

"I find it fascinating that your negative feelings ballet lessons suddenly transformed into thoughts of a positive nature." said Double Dee after which he giggled.

"Hell yeah," said Eddy, "Lee's already got us set up to continue practicing every Friday night, I gotta keep myself in shape somehow."

"Well as much as I hate to say I told you so," said Double Dee, "I'm grateful you've found a new hobby to enjoy."

Eddy and Double Dee shared a smile through their reflection in the bathroom mirror, at which point the sound of a toilet flushing filled the air. The door to the center stall opened, revealing their oafish friend Ed. He emerged with a smile as he ran towards his friends.

"Eddy, Double Dee!" yelled Ed as he held his arms out to grab his two friends in a headlock, "Boy am I excited to to see you guys!"

Double Dee watched with nervousness as Ed's hand approached him.

"Ed please!," yelled a distressed Double Dee, "While I admire your desire to greet us as your friends, I must insist that you cease and desist prior to ensuring good hygiene practices following the use of..."

Double Dee was silenced as Ed completely ignored his pleas, and grabbed him and Eddy around the neck in a bear hug.

"Boy oh Boy, am I such an excited little Elf," yelled Ed as he squeezed his pals, "Five days until Christmas, and tonight's the night Chris is going to pay me for all of my hard work so I can buy my Little Mays pitching machine. And best of all tonight's the downtown Christmas parade!"

Ed released his grip on the two Ed boys, turning toward the wall while clasping his hands with a smile, as his friends recovered from his squeeze. Eddy breathed heavily as he held his throat, while Double Dee immediately removed a can of disinfectant from his bag, and proceeded to spray his body from head to toe.

"Me and May are taking Sarah and Jimmy," said Ed in an exuberant manner, "We're going to have so much fun, and the best part is there's gonna be all you can eat Candy Cane flavored Jawbreakers! I feel bad, cause May can't have any cause of her braces but she said she doesn't mind if I eat them all cause she and her sisters don't like jawbreakers."

Double Dee placed his can of disinfectant back into his backpack, at which point he smiled exuberantly.

"My word, I had almost forgotten that tonight is the Christmas parade," said Double Dee, "We'll have to be hasty in our work at the tree farm this afternoon, as Marie and I promised to take custody of my kindergarten-aged cousin Claire at 6:00 in an effort to allow her to enjoy the festivities."

Double Dee turned towards the solitary double hung window, and gazed through it's glass pane. The window provided a view of the schools athletic center, including the football field, softball field, and track circuit. However, in lieu of the clear view of the distant cities skyscrapers, typical of a sunny day, the view was heavily distorted by a steady stream of water, running down from the eaves above due to the rain.

"I can only hope that this weather improves as planned, or the parade will have to be cancelled," said Double Dee, "Claire not only adores Marie, and looks up to her as if she were an older sister, but she is also fascinated by all things Christmas. It would be a shame if all of that would have to go to waste due to rain."

Double Dee turned back towards Eddy, who was still recovering from Ed's bear hug turned choke hold.

"So Eddy," said Double Dee, "Care to join us for a fun-filled night of holiday joy?"

"Sorry Double Dee," said Eddy, as he stood up straight, "But this stud's got himself some plans of his own."

"Plans?" asked Double Dee, "Do I dare ask what those plans may be?"

"Look Sockhead," said Eddy with a sly grin, "All's you need to know, is that my holiday spirit may be needed somewhere else."

Eddy delivered a wink to his brainy best buddy, attempting to imply that he has found an idea for Lee's Christmas present. Double Dee took the hint, simply replying with a heartfelt smile.

"Well boys," said Eddy as he glanced at his cell phone, "It's about that time to get to class. I don't want Mr. Gillenwaters on my ass about being late again, I definitely can't afford any detentions this close to Christmas. Besides, the student government's giving out free cupcakes this morning and I don't want to miss first dibs on the jimmies.

"Jimmies for Ed YUM YUM YUM!" yelled Ed as he began running towards the door, his hand outstretched to grab the metal handle. However, just prior to his hand making contact with the handle, Double Dee interjected in a demanding voice.

"Hold it right there mister!" yelled Double Dee in a rather stern manner, causing Ed to freeze in place, "I will not stand by idly and let you make skin contact with another surface without ensuring that all hygienic requirements following the use of the rest room are met. Now Ed, please kindly lather your hands prior to exiting the restroom."

Ed turned towards his stout best friend with a confused look on his face.

"Uh Eddy," asked Ed, "What's lather mean?"

"It means wash your hands Lumpy," said Eddy as he walked past his friend on the way to the door, "And for once I agree with Mr. Clean over there, get to it and meet me in homeroom."

"Oh yeah," said Ed, "Me and May always forget that part, we have to remind each other all the time."

Double Dee watched with concern, as his friend turned on the faucet and proceeded to scrub his hands.

"Wash the hands, wash the hands, wash the hands," said Ed in a dopey manner, after which he turned off the water and dried his hands with one of the paper towels.

"Right behind ya Eddy!" yelled Ed as he tossed the balled up paper towel over his shoulder and ran out of the bathroom. Unfortunately, the towel missed the trash can, and landed on the floor adjacent to the receptacle.

Double Dee sighed, at which point he kneeled down, and picked up the discarded towel.

"Messy, messy, messy," said Double Dee in a neurotic manner, as he placed the towel in the trash and proceeded to follow his friends out of the restroom.

As the Ed's made their way out of the bathroom, they passed the doors leading into the school gymnasium. While the large room had seen heavy use over the last few days, due to the cheer teams almost non-stop practice sessions in preparation for their talent show performance, the large room was empty sans one individual.

Rolf, with Kevin's encouragement, had mustered up the courage to try out for the schools basketball team. Basketball had always been one of Rolf's favorite sports, and while he enjoyed his favorite trick shot involving the use of his head to hit the ball into the basket, he was actually quite skilled at the game as a whole. These skills, combined with his above average height for his age, allowed him to make the cut; however, due to being a newcomer, he did not make the starting lineup.

Accordingly, the foreign boy had decided to spend his free prior to home room time practicing his free throw shots. He had changed into the standard uniform of the school basketball team, an orange jersey with blue trim, and silver shorts. On the front sleeveless shirt was a silver number 7, along with the word "Cobblers" written above it. On the back of the jersey was a larger silver number seven, placed in the center directly below the word "Xhuxha".

Rolf was currently standing behind the foul line. He dribbled the orange sphere in his hand for a few moments, the sound echoing off of the gym walls like a repetitive drum beat. After a few dribbles, the tall boy lifted the ball in the air, placing his right hand under it. While using his left hand for support, he drew the ball down towards his face (while simultaneously and involuntarily sticking his tongue out) and flicked his wrist, sending the ball on a parabolic trajectory toward the basket.

Unfortunately, the ball did pass through the hoop as intended. Instead, it bounced off of the front of the rim, bouncing twice on the wooden floor before returning to Rolf's hands.

"Poppycock!" yelled Rolf out of frustration, "Rolf must master the art of the shot of the fouls, just as he has mastered the tossing of the yam sacks at the annual festival of the goats!"

Rolf dribbled the ball a few more times, after which he took another shot. The shot, unlike the last passed through the hoop, causing an audible "swish" to emanate from the net. After passing through the net, the ball proceeded to bounce off of the gyms wall, and begin rolling towards the door leading into the gymnasium

"Ho ho!" said Rolf, ecstatic that he had made the shot. The excited boy, paying no attention to his surroundings began to chase the ball with a smile.

His eyes tracked the ball as it made it's way across the gym, losing momentum as it approached the open door leading out into the hallway. Rolf managed to catch up to it just as it was about to pass out of the door, at this point it's speed was slowed to a crawl. Just as the boy was about to reach down to retrieve it, the orange sphere was stopped in it's tracks by the sole of familiar brown, leather high-heeled boot.

Rolf froze in place, his hands outstretched towards the ball as he watched the boot move back and forth, rocking the pinned ball between it and the floor. His eyes began to travel upwards, eventually focusing on the face of someone he had desired to speak with for the last few days.

Standing in the gym archway was none other than Lindsay Statorowski. She donned her typical designer winter coat, as she leaned against the threshold of the door with her arms folded. Her left foot remained in place on the floor, as she used the right to continue to rock the ball. Unusually, her face was not adorned with her typical scowl, rather she appeared to be conveying a sultry yet flirty grin.

Lindsay flicked her neck to the side, her two large golden earrings bouncing as she sent a large chunk of her wavy hair behind her back.

"Hey handsome," said Lindsay in a flirty manner, "That was a nice shot you made there, looks like you've been practicing."

Rolf remained bent over, staring up into Lindsay's big blue chestnut shaped eyes with a neutral expression. Lindsay unfolded her arms, and placed her index finger underneath Rolf's chin. She began lifting him to a standing position on the tip of her long pink fingernail, as if the boy was lighter than air. With her heels on, Lindsay stood 5'11", exactly the same height as Rolf, allowing them to converse at eye level.

"What's wrong?", asked Lindsay, as she gazed into Rolf's eyes in a sensual manner "Don't ya wanna talk to me?"

Rolf paused for a few moments, wiping the sweat worked up from practice off of his forehead. As he came to his senses, his face transformed into a wide smile. Without warning, Rolf suddenly reached his arms out, surprising Lindsay by grabbing her in a tight squeeze.

"My sweet Babushka!", yelled Rolf, "It pleases Rolf plenty that you have decided to return after the presentation of the Furtsturken! Rolf has been told that you, the girl with the hair as wavy as Rolf's watermelon vines, adores the culture of Rolf's old country. Your presence here in the gymnasium pleases Rolf, as it signifies that you wish to take him as...how do you say?...boyfriend."

In the midst of his display of affection, a few beads of sweat from Rolf's face managed to make contact with Lindsay's cheek. The easily disgusted girl quickly responded with force.

"Eww gross!," yelled Lindsay as she shoved Rolf away, removed a drying cloth from her handbag, and proceeded to wipe her face.

After cleaning her face, she turned back towards Rolf. While Lindsay was quite disgusted, she knew that whatever plan she was currently concocting required her to keep Rolf happy and under her spell. Accordingly, she regained her flirty smile, and replied accordingly.

"Wow, that's some manly sweat you worked up," said Lindsay, "There's nothing that turns me on more than a man that can play sports, especially a guy that knows how to play basketball."

Rolf smiled.

"You are familiar with the sport of the bouncing orange sphere?" asked Rolf as he lifted the ball in his hands, "Does Rolf's beautiful Schmetlockin wish to learn how to perform Rolf's favorite trick shot?"

At that point, Rolf bounce passed the ball in Lindsay's direction. Lindsay, being the definition of a "girly-girl", was not athletically inclined in the slightest; accordingly she did not make a clean catch, rather she juggled the ball in her hands for a few moments, attempting to prevent another nail break, before finally gaining control.

"Uh, no thanks," said Lindsay in a sarcastic manner, "I hate playing sports, and I definitely don't play basketball."

Lindsay glanced down toward the ball. As he cradled it in her hands, her long pink nails contrasting with the orange, dirt stained surface, a melancholy expression adorned her face.

"I guess talents are more nurture than nature," said Lindsay, as she continued to stare at the ball.

A few seconds passed, after which Lindsay regained her flirty disposition.

"Anyway, enough of that!" said Lindsay as she tossed the ball over her shoulder into the hallway. She walked towards Rolf, flaunting her hips excessively as her heels clicked on the gymnasium floor. She eventually reached Rolf, and proceeded to pin him, placing her hands flat against the wall on both sides of his shoulders as she raised her left leg into the air behind her.

"Look cutie," said Lindsay with a smile, "I have to thank you for being the only one besides the cheer squad to root for me last night. I knew since the first day we met in the lunchroom that I could count on you to be my night in shining armor."

At that point, Lindsay placed her right hand on the silver zipper, typically tucked away under the rabbits fur trim on her signature coat, and proceeded to unzip it. Rolf watched in awe as Lindsay's hand traveled downward, separating the two halves of the coat, revealing a low-cut, mauve t-shirt, seemingly designed with the intent of displaying cleavage. Lindsay removed her hand from the zipper, and clasped it with the opposite hand in front of her as she brought her arms together; the intent being to illicit a substantial "push-up effect."

"It's time I give you a reward of your own," said Lindsay, "Maybe later, you will get to see these."

Lindsay leaned towards the completely flabbergasted Rolf's face. As she approached, she moved her lips toward Rolf's right cheek.

"But for now, I'll just give you this, and let you take me to the winter ball." whispered Lindsay, after which she kissed Rolf on the cheek. She slowly moved her lips towards his ear, at which point she whispered one final word in a seductive tone.

"Boyfriend."

At the sound of those words, Rolf was suddenly struck with what seemed to be a love induced Euphoria. In Rolf's mind, time seemed to stop momentarily, as Lindsay's words continuously played in his psyche.

Lindsay was completely unprepared for Rolf's reaction to her proclamation, as the lanky teenager proceeded to swing an alarmed Lindsay around, as if performing an intricate ball room dance, all the while humming a folk song while smiling dreamily.

However, in reality, the dance of joy lasted all but three seconds. Rolf had attempted to fling Lindsay outward with a spin, his plan being to draw her back into a "dip" and deliver her a kiss on the lips. Unfortunately, Rolf had missed his mark; instead of taking hold of Lindsay's hand as planned, he had accidentally taken hold of the rabbits fur trim adorning the sleeve of her coat.

Rolf sensed the disappearance of Lindsay's weight from the end of his arm, and was instantly broken out of his trance. He gazed toward the end of his outstretched arm, eventually laying eyes on the maroon designer coat. However, the coat was no longer occupied by the blonde diva; due to Lindsay's earlier attempt at flaunting her cleavage, the coat had been completely unzipped, causing her body to slip out of it due to the force applied by Rolf's dance maneuver. As a result, the body of the coat hung limp towards the floor, as Rolf's hand remained clenched around the white trim at the end of the sleeve.

Rolf's scanned his surroundings, eventually laying eyes on Lindsay herself. She had fallen to the floor, landing face down on her stomach. Rolf quickly ran over toward her position, and kneeled down beside her with a concerned expression.

"Are you okay my beautiful Schmetlockin?," asked Rolf as he proceeded to help the dazed Lindsay to her knees, "Rolf has never quite felt such wonderful feelings, and these feeling of joy resulting from his sweet Babushka accepting his offer of courtship excite Rolf tremendously."

At that point, Rolf took hold of Lindsay's hand and assisted her into a standing position. Due to Lindsay's coat being forcibly removed, she stood before Rolf in nothing but a mauve, short-sleeved t-shirt, which completely exposed her normally concealed forearms. Lindsay had gone to great lengths to always don long sleeved day wear, even changing the cheer uniforms to a long-sleeved variety to suit her needs. As Rolf assisted his "girlfriend" to her feet, his eyes were drawn to the area of her never-seen arms; at that moment, Rolf's face suddenly transformed from one of happiness, to one of outright horror.

Rolf continued to stare downward as Lindsay regained her senses. A few seconds passed, at which point she suddenly pulled her hand from Rolf's, placing her arm from behind her back in an effort to conceal it as she gasped. Rolf remained frozen in place, his eyes wide as if he had seen a ghost, as Lindsay yanked her coat of his hand, placed her arms inside, and promptly zipped it back up.

Rolf was broken out of his thoughts as Lindsay suddenly slammed him against the wall, brining her face within inches of his once again; however, her expression was one of a serious,yet distressed nature, rather than a flirty one.

"What you just saw is between you and me," said Lindsay, "Blab that to anyone, and we are through."

Rolf paused for a few moments, after which he shook his head up and down fearfully.

Suddenly, the sound of the school bell echoed through the gymnasium. Lindsay turned away from Rolf and picked up her designer handbag, placing the strap over her shoulder.

"Well, there's the bell." said Lindsay as she unfolded her makeup mirror to make a quick adjustment of her eyeliner. She promptly closed the mirror, walked towards Rolf, and grabbed his hand in a laced finger hold.

"C'mon Rodolfo," said Lindsay as she began leading Rolf out the door, "Walk me to class."

"I am called Rolf," said Rolf.

"Whatever," said Lindsay as the two made their way out into the hallway.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

The morning had passed by rather quickly for the students at Peach Creek High School. It was now 11:35, and the bell signifying the start of lunch period had sounded. Naturally, all of the hungry students had flooded the halls, eager to make their way to the cafeteria to enjoy their meals, and share a mid-day chat with all of their friends.

The three Kanker sisters were no exception; however, the three girls had decided to make a pit stop at their lockers to exchange their morning books for their afternoon ones. Due to the locker numbers being assigned by last name, the girls lockers were conveniently located directly next to one another.

May had been the first to reach her locker. The blonde brace-faced girl happily entered the combination, unlocked the padlock, and opened the door with an audible squeak. Peering into May's locker, Marie's rational for her annoyance with regard to sharing a bedroom with May was obvious; the locker was packed as if we're a sardine can. In the bottom portion of the locker, a stack of comic books sat on the floor, next to which were two aluminum bats leaning on the left bulkhead. On top of the comic books were several items of softball paraphernalia, including a catchers mask, gloves, and old worn down balls. Several balled up versions of her old softball uniform sat within the pile, the exposed portion displaying the name "Kanker-Lonergan" being the only attribute indicative that it was an article of clothing and not a cleaning rag.

May removed a few books from her pink backpack, and shoved them into the only remaining space available in the top compartment of her locker. Once she finished placing the books, she turned towards the locker door, the interior of which was adorned with three photographs.

The first depicted a large group of small girls, all around nine years old, dressed in softball uniforms. The uniforms were colored blue and white, accented with golden numbers. Behind the girls stood the coach of the team, a woman who appeared to be in her twenties, her blonde hair tied in a ponytail protruding from a hole in the back of her ball cap. A young May stood center stage, smiling as she cradled a glove in her left hand, and a softball in her right. Above the girls, the words "Harrowgate YWCA Honeybees", along with a graphic of a cracked bell, were superimposed on top of the image.

The second picture, mounted a few inches above the first, depicted a teenage May being lifted into the air by all of her teammates from Peach Creek Junior High; the picture was taken directly after the strikeout that sealed the schools state championship victory. In the photograph, May, along with the rest of the team, donned the orange and white uniforms of the "Lady Cobblers. The blonde girl appeared quite surprised by the chaos, but nevertheless was beaming with joy as a result of her victory.

Finally, May's eyes reached the third photograph, her most loved photograph of all. The picture was taken the same day as the previous; however, the subjects of this photograph were May and her oafish, yet loving boyfriend Ed. Due to Ed's fun loving nature, in addition to the fantastic job he did as the "Petey the Peach Cobbler" for the football team, he was offered to reprise his role for the softball team. Accordingly, Ed had donned the costume, but had removed the triangular mask, exposing his face. May, dressed in her uniform and her hair tied back into a single tight ponytail, had jumped into Ed's arms out of excitement, appearing to cause him to lose his balance. May wrapped her legs around the costume, constricting the bulky, triangular outfit as she held herself aloft by placing her arms around Ed's neck. Ed accordingly had placed his arms around May, and was smiling happily as May delivered him a kiss on the cheek.

May clasped her hands and smiled dreamily as she stared at the picture, after which she let out a long, drawn out sigh. As her two sisters approached their lockers to exchange their books, May decided to engage them in conversation.

"Oh I'm so excited, I can hardly wait!" said May as she pirouetted towards the middle of the hallway out of happiness, "Tonight's our last night of work, and I'll finally have the money to buy my Big Ed's comic book set. He's gonna be sooooooo happy!"

"You're not the only one." said Marie with a smile as she opened her locker, "I can't wait to see my dreamboat's reaction to his present."

Marie turned towards the door of her locker, on which she had mounted a portrait of Double Dee in his cap and gown. She smiled dreamily as she touched her hands to her cheeks.

"My hero deserves to be happy more than anyone," said Marie softly.

Marie remained in her love struck trance for a few more seconds, after which she turned her attention to the adjacent locker. There, she spotted the tall, slender frame of her red-headed sister, making preparations to open her locker.

"So Lee?" asked Marie, "How's your ball gown coming along?"

Lee finished entering her combination and, with a quick tug, removed the cylindrical lock from her locker handle.

"It's going alright," said Lee as she turned towards Marie, "How are youse guys doing on the sales floor?"

"It's goin' aight!" said Marie, deepening her voice and emphasizing her city accent as if to make fun of her sister. Lee responded by playfully punching Marie in the arm, as Marie giggled in a cackling manner.

"As if I couldn't tell it's goin' good," said Lee, "You're staring at that picture of Double Dee like you're about to make out with it."

Lee turned her head in the opposite direction of Marie, eventually laying eyes on her youngest sister. May, in a fit of excitement, continued to pirouette around the hallway, lost in her own little world of love.

"And Bucky's pirouetting faster than usual," said Lee, "Jeez, if she spins any faster, she's gonna reverse the flow of time!"

"Hey, don't get pissy at us," yelled Marie, "You're just mad that we found perfects gifts for our men while you still haven't even figured out what to get Eddy!"

"Look Deadeye," said Lee as she removed her books from her locker, "I told ya before, I have the situation under control. Eddy will get his gift, and it's gonna be a good one, but first I have to finish my dress."

"Hey, I'm just trying to look out for ya!" said Marie, "You've been getting pretty carried away with this whole pissing contest between you and "her", ever since she moved to Peach Creek. I just don't want to see you and Eddy at odds. You guys have done so well for yourselves as a couple, considering you're both the same short fused blowhards."

"Mind your business Marie," said Lee as she adjusted her eyeliner using a small mirror mounted on the door of her locker.

"Whatever," said Marie as she tossed a book into her locker, after which she kicked the door shut. She's turned around, and while leaning on her locker doors with her arms folded, gazed down the hallway with a slight scowl. Taking note that May was still preoccupied in her love struck trance a few paces down the hallway, Marie decided to pose a question.

"So I take it you didn't tell him about it yet?" asked Marie.

"No," said Lee in a snappy manner as she continued to fumble with the contents of her locker.

"So are ya planning to?" asked Marie.

"Jeez, what is this twenty fucking questions!" yelled Lee as she suddenly turned to face Marie, "I told you to mind your business Little Sister, so mind it!"

Lee turned back towards her locker, and continued to organize her school supplies. While the girls routinely shared jokes, playfully made fun of each other, and had sisterly quarrels, there was no doubt that Marie and May held Lee with a higher respect; this was due to her acting as a substitute mother figure, and raising them while Tabby wasn't around during their younger years. Obviously, a large part of making sure her sisters stayed out of trouble was discipline, delivered with a stern serious voice; the point when Marie and May knew to stop. Accordingly, Marie remained still with her arms folded, stunned by Lee's sudden outburst of anger.

A few moments passed, after which Lee sighed and rolled her eyes while simultaneously closing her locker. She picked up her leather handbag, placed it on her shoulder, and turned towards Marie.

"Look, I'm sorry for yelling like that." said Lee, "But if it will shut you up, I'll show you what I've been working on as part of Eddy's Christmas present. It was supposed to be a secret, and personal between me and Eddy, but you're family so what the hell."

At that point, Lee reached her hand down, and began unzipping her handbag. Unfortunately, Lee's action was suddenly ceased, as she and her little sister's attention was drawn towards the area of the cross hall by the sound of May's obnoxious, adenoidal voice.

"Hey guys!" yelled May as she leaned her head around the corner of the hallway junction, "Come here, I got something ya'll may want to see!"

"Now what," said Lee as she re-zipped the bag, and began making her way towards May's position, with Marie not far behind.

While prancing around the halls in her own little world, May had taken notice of the schools central bulletin board. Under ordinary circumstances, the board displayed various flyers regarding sports teams tryouts, school clubs, or other miscellaneous news. However, on this particular day, the bulletin board was completely dedicated to the Holiday talent show held the previous night.

Lee's eyes scanned the board as she approached. The background was covered with shiny red paper; at the top of the board the words "Peach Creek High School Annual Talent Show" were spelled out in gold letters. Peppered around the perimeter of the board were photographs (taken by the school newspaper) of all of performances in action, as well as various graphics of Santa Claus and other symbols related to Christmas.

Most notably, sitting directly in the center of the board, was a large photograph of the winning performance in action. The photograph depicted Lee and Eddy in the final moments of their dance for two; it was taken from a position close to the stage, and slightly off center as if the individual were looking up towards the couple. Eddy was dressed in his nutcracker prince outfit, leaning slightly to the right as he cradled Lee in his arms. Lee (dressed in her sugarplum fairy outfit) leaned backwards with her arms held in the air. Her right toe acted as anchor as she bent her left knee in the air behind her. Both teenagers were smiling radiantly, Lee's eyes in particular appeared to sparkle under the spotlights due to being accentuated by her flawless makeup application. The newspaper representative was obviously quite skilled at their craft, as the photograph appeared to be of almost professional quality.

Above the photograph, the words "First Place" were written in large gold letters. Underneath, the same gold letters read "Annalee Kanker and Eddy McGee: Dance of the the Sugarplum Fairy."

In addition to the central photograph of Eddy and Lee, there was a slightly smaller photograph located below depicting the awards ceremony at the end of the night. Lee and Lindsay were the subjects of this photograph; Lee stood on stage, glancing forward with a smile as she assumed leg "fourth position". Lindsay donned her cheer outfit while standing with upright posture, keeping both of her hands on her hips as she displayed a radiant smile towards the crowd. Below this photograph, the word "Finalists" was spelled out in gold letters.

The two oldest Kanker sisters approached the board, stopping around six feet away to admire the display. While Marie's face displayed a sly grin, Lee elected to remain neutral, scoffing at the fact that her picture was on display in a positive light.

"Wow," said Marie, "They got your good side Lee!"

Marie giggled as Lee groaned under her breath.

"Shut up Marie," said Lee, "I'd like to know who authorized them to use my picture without my permission so I can kick their ass."

"Lighten up Lee!" said May, "It's an awesome shot. You and Eddy look so cute, and look they got you smiling!"

Lee said nothing, but merely groaned as she rolled her eyes. May and Marie shared a giggle with each other, at which point Marie began walking back towards the corner.

"Alright, let's go finish up and get to lunch, I'm starving," said Marie, "God forbid we overload Lee with positive self esteem, she'll die where she stands."

"Keep talkin' like that, and I'll show ya some positive reassurance," said Lee, "You guys go ahead, I'll meet ya's in the lunchroom, I gotta take a wicked piss."

"Okay!" yelled May as she rounded the corner, "We'll save ya a seat, 'Sugarplum'!"

"Don't test me May," said Lee as she watched her little sister disappear into the adjacent hall, but not before sticking her tongue out towards Lee in a teasing manner.

Lee remained focused on the bulletin board for a few moments, after which she quickly glanced down the hallway in both directions, as if to ensure nobody was coming. In an instant, she reached towards the bulletin board, and carefully removed both the photograph of she and Eddy, as well as the one of her and Lindsay. She quickly placed them into her handbag, after which she briskly made her way down the hallway towards the library, intent on making copies of the photographs for her own safe keeping, and returning the originals to the board at a later time.

Back at their lockers, Marie once again leaned against her closed locker, her legs crossed and her arms folded as she waited for May to finish digging through her locker in search of an unknown item.

"It's so fun to tease her," said Marie as she giggled, "I know she likes the attention, she's a diva at heart."

Marie turned her attention towards May, who was currently buried up to her head in the junk pile that was the interior of her locker, as if she were an ostrich burying it's head in the sand.

"What the hell are ya looking for anyway?" asked Marie.

"My extra credit for science class," said May.

"Extra credit?" asked Marie, "When did you become such an over achiever?"

"It's not funny, Marie I need this!" said May, "Mr. Gillenwaters said that I'm in danger of failing this semester. If that happens and Mommy and Daddy find out, I'm not going to be allowed to practice for spring until my grades go up. So I asked Mr. Gillenwaters if there was anything I can do for extra credit, and he said if I brought in an example of an American plant species and wrote a makeup report, he'll pass me."

Marie searched for a few more seconds, after which she seemed to find what she was looking for.

"Ah Ha," said May as she pulled a large brown box out of her locker and placed it on the floor, "Here it is."

May continued explaining herself as she began the process of securing the padlock on her locker.

"I needed to find a species of American plant to present, so I asked Double Dee if I could borrow one from his collection," said May, "He gave me the keys to his shed, and told me to pick whatever I wanted off of the shelf, so that's what I did."

"I hope you made sure you got the right thing," said Marie, "Double Dee keeps a lot of different things out in that shed. Everything from plants, to bugs, to spiders."

"Don't worry Marie," said May, "The box is labeled."

May lifted the box in the air, holding the lid out towards Marie.

"See?"said May as she placed her finger on the box, using it to trace a line under the words as she read them, "Perplanta America"

The words were written using "binomial nomenclature", a common method of describing animal and plant species using Latin names. Unfortunately, May was not the best at reading, and thus not only mispronounced the words (spelled Periplaneta Americana), but by proxy, also misinterpreted their meaning.

Marie stared at the box for a few moments, after which she decided to continue the conversation.

"Whatever," said Marie as she turned and began making her way down the hallway, "Bring it to the cafeteria and we'll check it out there. I gotta get some lunch before I die of starvation."

"Whatever ya say Marie!" said May as she picked up her backpack and proceeded to follow her sister, cradling the brown box in her arms.


	50. Chapter 50

_Good Evening everyone, KiltedEngineer here!_

 _It's been a while since I did an authors note, so let me just thank all of those that continue to stick by me through this process, and provide positive review and feedback. You guys are all awesome._

 _Believe it or not, I once believe that I could finish this story by last Christmas, an impossible order considering the scope of this work. Now the challenge is to finish by next Christmas! (I believe that will happen)_

 _On another note, I have no idea how many of you have been with me since Bad Girls with Big Hearts was originally written six years ago, but those who do might remember that it was once called "Ed, Edd n' Eddy's Valentines Day Spectacular" (major placeholder). The name was changed based off of a quote given in one of the later chapters._

 _I bring this up because I am planning to provide this story with a more creative "Ed, Edd n' Eddy in..." title. Ed the Herald Kankers Sing was always intended to be a placeholder, and I believe that scope of this story warrants a more creative fitting title. I have narrowed it down to a few possibilities, and you will see a final decision in the near future._

 _Thanks again everyone, I hope you continue to stick by me._

 _Without further ado, here's the next one!_

 **Chapter 50**

The afternoon had come and gone in a flash. The bell had sounded signaling the end of yet another day at Peach Creek High School. All of the students were quite excited, as today would be the final day that they would be dismissed at their usual time of 2:45 p.m.; the following day, the students were granted an early dismissal of 11:30. Even more exciting was the fact that tomorrow would be the last day of school prior to the start of winter break, leaving students with no academic worries in anticipation of the winter ball, and their personal Christmas celebrations.

While the majority of students took their time at their lockers, conserving with friends, and ensuring that all of their personal items were accounted for prior to departure, Lindsay had other plans. The blonde prima donna had darted out of her last period class with haste, and meticulously planned a route to Rolf's locker to avoid being seen by the cul-de-sac clan, as well as all of the girls she controlled in the cheer squad.

Upon meeting the eccentric boy at his locker, she spent a few seconds hypnotizing him with her false flirtatiousness, after which she promptly led him towards the school doors. Her efforts to avoid being seen were two-fold; first she did not want it to be misconstrued that she was in fact dating Rolf; more importantly, her plan required that Lee, nor Eddy witness any of her actions.

Rolf and Lindsay had descended the ornate steps leading down to the curb from the main entrance doors. Lindsay had grabbed Rolf's arm with both of hers, walking closely beside him as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Unfortunately, Lindsay had learned rather quickly that Rolf was chock full of bizarre stories regarding the traditions of his old country. As the two teenagers descended the stairs, a love struck Rolf decided to begin yet another bizarre soliloquy.

"Ah my beautiful, sweet Babushka," said Rolf with a smile, "You're sweet aroma and willingness to embrace the customs Rolf's home country remind Rolf of the importance and thankfulness he must give to the great Yeshmiyek. Rolf is eternally grateful that he has been delivered a maiden as sweet and kind as yourself."

Lindsay rolled her eyes as the "couple" reached the last step. She took a quick glance up and down the street, verifying that she had beat the crowds as planned, allowing her to channel her inner actress without fear.

"Oh Rolf," said Lindsay in a sultry voice, "It's so great to have a man that cares so much about me."

Lindsay pulled away from Rolf, and unzipped her handbag.

"I made something for you last night," said Lindsay as she fumbled through her bag, "It's for every time you miss me and want to remember how much I like you."

Lindsay removed an 8x11 photograph, encased by a frame made of hand carved wood. The picture depicted a front on view of Chucks blue 1959 Cadillac, the signature grille shining under the lights of his shop. While the vehicle was a prominent aspect of the photograph, it was merely a prop for the main subject; Lindsay had snuck down to Chucks garage the previous night, and used her cell phone to snap a picture of her sitting on the hood of his car. Lindsay had posed such that her full body was in view in a sideways position. She leaned slightly backwards, her right hand planted behind her on the shiny blue surface. Her left knee was bent, the heel of her boot resting on the hood, while her right leg remained fully extended. Her facial expression was that of a sultry gaze, squinting slightly while puckering her lips and holding her right hand up as if she were blowing a kiss to the camera.

"I hope you like it," said Lindsay.

Rolf sighed lovingly as he viewed the photograph.

"Ah my dearest Lidsee," said Rolf "Rolf shall forever cherish this token of affection."

Rolf removed his backpack from his shoulders, unzipped it, and placed Lindsay photograph inside for safe keeping. Once he was finished, he placed his bag back onto his shoulder, at which point Lindsay grabbed both of his hands in hers, and moved her face towards his.

"That will give you something to look at just before bed so that you have sweet dreams about me, my little love button." said Lindsay as she pinched Rolf's cheek.

Rolf stared into Lindsay's blue eyes for a few moments, after which his eyes were suddenly drawn to the area behind her. He leaned slightly to the left in an effort to gain a better view towards the end of the block.

"Do Rolf's eyes fool the brain of Rolf?" asked Rolf, "Or does he lay eyes on the four wheeled hootinanny that his beautiful Schmetlockin sat upon in her photgraph?"

"WHAT!?" yelled Lindsay with an expression of distress as she suddenly whipped her head around towards the direction of Rolf's gaze.

Unfortunately for Lindsay, Rolf was in fact correct in his assumption. A nervous wave passed through her stomach as she watched Chucks blue Cadillac turn the corner, and briskly make it's way down the street towards the school. While the temperature was quite chilly (50 degrees) and the sky was cloudy, the steady rain that had plagued the neighborhood during the morning hours had let up; accordingly, the eccentric Chuck had retracted the top, allowing him to show off the full scope of detail work he had done to the interior. The car appeared to have received a coat of wax, and had been fitted with a large pair of "Texas Longhorns" as a hood ornament.

"Why me..." said Lindsay as she turned away from the street, attempting to hide herself.

Chuck smiled as he pulled the Cadillac up to the curb, placed his hand on the steering wheel, and activated the cars horn for a three second duration. The sound of the horn was not that of a typical automobile, but seemed to be at a volume equal to that of a locomotive.

"How's it going Scout!" said Chuck in an enthusiastic manner as he glanced toward Lindsay.

Lindsay slowly turned around, grinding her teeth as she did so.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" said Lindsay in a slow manner under her breath.

"I took the day off to work on the Caddy," said Chuck, "I installed the bull horns, and finally wired the four note horn. I figured you'd want to be the first to see, so I swung by to give you a ride home from school."

Chuck placed his hand on the steering wheel.

"Now tell me , is this a statement or what?"

Chuck once again pressed his hand to the horn with two swift bumps, causing the obnoxious sound to echo through the school campus in two quick pulses.

"I heard it just fine the first time Daddy," said Lindsay, "And why are you driving around with the top down in this weather? Get out of here you're embarrassing me!"

"Well aren't we the sassy one today," said Chuck with a playful smile, as his eyes panned down towards the area of Lindsay left hand.

"Oooooh," said Chuck with a sly grin, "I see what's going on."

A wave of embarrassment overcame Lindsay as she realized the unthinkable; she had inadvertently forgotten to release Rolf right hand from her left, providing Chuck the perception that they were holding hands as a couple. In an instant, Lindsay yanked her hand from Rolf's, placing it behind her back, as her face turned red with embarrassment.

"Look's like my Little T has a boyfriend," said Chuck.

Lindsay face turned to an expression of anger, as she snapped in the direction of Chuck.

"HE'S NOT MY..." yelled Lindsay, stopping as she remembered that the most important part of her plan was convincing Rolf that she was stone in love with him. Accordingly, she simply ground her teeth, frustrated beyond belief at the situation she was inadvertently thrown into.

Lindsay managed to calm down, at which point she approached the vehicle. She leaned on the door, speaking across the passenger seat in a quick whisper.

"Alright Daddy," said Lindsay, "I'm sure Rolf would love to stay and chat, but it's been a long day. We're very busy tonight with dinner and I'd like to get a head start on the soufflé. So come on now, let's get going. Bye Rolf, see ya tomorrow."

Lindsay waved goodbye to Rolf as she reached for the passenger door handle, attempting to open the door.

"Hold on a second" said Chuck as he pressed the lock button mounted on the driver's side door, simultaneously locking all of the cars doors and preventing Lindsay's ingress, much to her frustration. "I just got a million dollar idea!"

"What...now...Daddy..." said Lindsay as she ground her teeth in frustration.

"Hey Young Man!" yelled Chuck as he leaned his head backward in an attempt to make eye contact with Rolf, "Come here real quick."

Rolf swallowed nervously, at which point he sheepishly walked towards Chucks Cadillac. He took a position standing next to Lindsay, who had turned towards the school, placing her hand to her face in a proverbial "face palm".

"My names Chuck," said Chuck as he held his hand out to Rolf, "What's yours?"

"I am called Rolf," said Rolf as he took Chucks hand in his with a smile.

"Well Rolf, it's good to meet you," said Chuck, "I'd love to stay and chat with out here for a little while longer, but it looks like you guys had plans of your own. So how about you join us for dinner tonight?"

"This can't be happening..." said Lindsay to herself in a barely audible manner.

Rolf smiled, and while still rather nervous regarding his first interaction with his "girlfriends" father, decided to reply.

"Rolf is pleased with the offer of the feast," said Rolf, "Does one sir mind if Rolf brings a traditional dish from Rolf's old country?"

"Are you kidding?" said Chuck, "I love foreign food, my wife is from Poland, and she makes all kinds of crazy stuff. I can't even pronounce most of it, but you can bet it tastes great!"

Chuck turned towards Lindsay, who appeared to be containing an emotional meltdown resulting from her bordered up frustration

"My wife Edyta is going to be out shopping tonight, so it was just supposed to be us." said Chuck, "But I don't think it would hurt if there was a positive balance of testosterone for once in the Statorowski house."

Chuck giggled slightly.

"I'll leave you two be," said Chuck, "I gotta get home and work on buffing out this scratch that suddenly appeared on the hood overnight. And don't worry about getting home early to start the soufflé, Dyt pre-made a platter of that Schnitzel-like stuff, and some Duck Blood Soup for me to eat. That along with the dish Rolf's going to surprise us with should make for some good eating."

Chuck signaled Rolf to lean in towards him, at which point he whispered into his ear.

"I've been trying to get Little Miss-grossed-out over there to branch out and try some new cultural foods for years," said Chuck, "But she always makes herself a traditional meal of her own when whenever we eat Polish. Maybe you being there will convince her to finally take her first steps."

Lindsay groaned under her breath at which point she noticed a few students from the cheer squad exiting the school building, and approaching her position.

"Oh Gee, look at the time," said Lindsay, "Alright Daddy time to go, see ya at dinner, love ya."

Lindsay grabbed Rolf and began pulling him away from the vehicle.

"Okay honey," yelled Chuck, "See ya at dinner, I love you!"

Chuck shifted the Cadillac into drive, and began pulling away from the school, but not before letting out a series of four obnoxious beeps. Lindsay stood still, smiling awkwardly as she waved goodbye, as two of the girls she commonly sat with at lunch approached her with confused stares. She turned towards the girls with a scowl.

"And what are you two looking at?" asked Lindsay.

The two girls shook their head from side to side.

"That's right nothing," said Lindsay, "So why don't you two wannabes go look at it somewhere else?"

The girls shook their head up and down as if to oblige, after which they turned and quickly scattered in the opposite direction.

At that point, Lindsay turned and began walking in the direction of the cul-de-sac, her face endowed with an expression of intense irritation, and her fists clenched by her sides. Rolf watched as she took a few paces away from him, and jogged to catch up to her with a smile.

"Rolf can hardly wait to share the feast with his dearest Lidsee." said Rolf as he approached the extremely irritated Lindsay, "Rolf shall bring the finest delicacy from his old country, and will not disappoint."

At the conclusion of Rolf's statement, Lindsay angrily reached into the side pocket of her handbag, and pulled out her cell phone. She promptly searched through her contacts, finding the intended recipient of her upcoming phone call, touched her finger to the screen and placed the phone up to her ear.

Rolf watched in silence as Lindsay waited for the receiving party to answer, tapping the sole of her high heeled boot on the ground as she did so. A few seconds passed, at which time the phone was finally answered, prompting Lindsay to speak. However, much to Rolf's astonishment, the voice projecting from Lindsay's mouth was not her typical feminine,yet domineering voice; in fact, her words were not even those belonging to the English language:

" _Tak, chciałbym złożyć zamówienie na odbiór. Jeden funt kaczki. Imię? Rolf ...6:30? Dziękuję Ci!"_

Lindsay ended the phone call by touching her finger to the screen, and placed her phone back into her handbag. She then removed a fold up mirror from her pocket to examine her face. As Lindsay examined her lip stick, Rolf decided to interject.

"Hoho," said Rolf enthusiastically, "You are full of many surprises my sweet Babushka. Rolf had no inkling that you knew how to spin your yarns in the Deutsch."

"It's Polish," said Lindsay, "A girls gotta do what she has to do to protect herself."

Lindsay closed her mirror, and turned towards Rolf.

"Alright here's the deal," said Lindsay as she removed a piece of paper from her handbag, and began jotting down a note with her purple pen, "I'm very busy tonight, so I'm going to need you to run an errand for me. I just placed an order at Przybyczewski's Butcher Shop down in the business district. I'm gonna need you to pick it up for me, and bring it to my house for dinner tonight. Can you do that?"

"Have no fear female with the eyes as beautiful as the Lake of the Rasperragy, for Rolf has much experience with the delivery of the meats," said Rolf.

"Thank you cutie!" said Lindsay in a long, drawn out manner, followed by a kiss on the cheek.

Lindsay placed her pen in her pocket, and began walking away from Rolf's position.

"Be at my house at 7:00 p.m.", said Lindsay, "I'm sure you know where I live already, I mean, who doesn't? While we're at it, I'll fit up your tuxedo for the winter ball. I can't wait to see how handsome you look."

"Farewell my sweet Babushka!" yelled Rolf as he watched Lindsay approach the corner. Prior to turning the corner, Lindsay turned and blew Rolf a kiss. This action prompted Rolf to smile dreamingly, and seemingly float away in the opposite direction.

As soon as Lindsay was out of view, her face returned to it's typical scowl. She rolled her eyes as she slammed her back onto the brick wall of the school, folding her arms and crossing her legs in front of her.

"Well, there goes one of our rare Daddy-Daughter nights." said Lindsay, "I guess I can't blame anyone but myself."

Lindsay glanced up towards the sky, observing that the overcast had begun to dissipate, allowing a few rays of sunlight to peak through. She sighed, and uttered a few more words to herself.

"I never got to meet you, but all of the stories I heard about you give me the strength to push through." said Lindsay with a tear in her eye, "If only things could have been different."


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

No sooner than five minutes after dismissal, Double Dee and Ed had snuck out of the school via the rear doors, and mounted the "Ed Mobile". The boys were on their way to their final day of work at the tree farm, and were currently pedaling as fast as they could in an effort to avoid being spotted by their girlfriends, and spoiling their surprises.

Double Dee smiled as he drove the bike down the Main Street of the business district, admiring the Christmas decorations mounted on the light posts, as well as those within store windows. As he traveled, he took note of several police officers making preparations to barricade the side streets, allowing the parade the complete right of way down the entirety of the strip. This sight, coupled with the fact that the suns bright rays had finally broken through clouds, brought great joy to the ski capped adolescent, as these were positive signs that the Christmas Parade would not be cancelled due to the poor weather.

"It appears that all of my worries this morning were for nothing!" said Double Dee as he pedaled, "The precipitation has passed, the sun is shining, and the town is making all of the necessary preparations for our adored parade!"

"Jawbreakers and Santa make Ed a very happy boy!" yelled Ed, "I can't wait to see Eddy try the new Slovak candy cane flavored jawbreakers!"

"Contrary to your assumption, Ed," said Double Dee, "I'm afraid Eddy has other plans for tonight. Between you and I, I believe our stubborn little friend with a heart of gold has finally found a perfect gift to present to Lee, and is in the process of executing his plan to procure it during the evenings."

"Eddy is such a good little Elf," said Ed, "Lee still scares me, but I know Eddy likes her a whole bunch so I like her and want her to be happy too!"

"My thought's exactly!" said Double Dee, "I must admit, I thought the presence of Lindsay, and all of the ugliness surrounding these petty competitions were going to taint the holiday season. However, it appears that I was in fact correct to trust Marie's judgement regarding the situation, as all seems to be working out just fine."

"Do you think Lee's mad at Eddy for what happened earlier today?" asked Ed

"I don't believe she was so much angry, as she was surprised." said Double Dee, "Periplaneta Americana, commonly known as the American Cockroach, is a fascinating species, but is quite intimidating to those who do not have an appreciation for it's applications as a model organism. I barely had gotten the opportunity to explain that the box contained insects before Eddy snatched it out from my hands, and opened it without hesitation. Unfortunately, his impatience led to him dropping the container out of shock, releasing an entire colony of 100 cockroaches, 50 of which were adults carrying eggs, into the school cafeteria. How unsanitary!"

Double Dee leaned to the right, turning the handlebars slightly in the same direction, allowing the bike to turn down the small side street leading to Chris's tree farm.

"While Eddy's impulsive antics ultimately led to the disaster," said Double Dee, "I can't help but blame myself for failing to instruct May on the proper container to select for her project. Nevertheless, the principal graciously deferred disciplinary action, allowing Eddy to serve his punishment via school suspension after the new year, in exchange that Eddy stay after school to assist hanging protective tarps in preparation for the arrival of the exterminator tomorrow afternoon."

"Early dismissal tomorrow!" yelled Ed, "Eddy's the best!"

"I suppose that's one way to look at it." said Double Dee rather pedantically.

At that point, the boys had finally reached the entrance to the tree farm. Double Dee steered the bicycle through the gate, towards usual parking spot next to Chris' truck. The lot was much more sparse than it was when the Ed's had started their jobs, due to a majority of the trees having been sold in preparation for Christmas. Despite the lack of trees on display, the holiday spirit was still alive; the decorations, as well as the multitude of lights daisy chained between the telephone poles, flashed exuberantly in a chaser pattern.

It didn't take long for the boys to reach Chris's truck, currently parked behind the shack. The boys were surprised to find Chris himself standing at the front end of the vehicle. The vehicles hood was currently raised, allowing Chris to check the level of his oil and other vital automotive fluids.

Double Dee and Ed dismounted the bike, at which point Double Dee engaged the kick stand. The small click prompted Chris to turn towards the boys; he simply nodded as if to say hello. He then puffed the cigarette cradled in his mouth, as he used a clothe to clean off his hands.

"Good afternoon Mr. Nicklaus," said Double Dee as the boys approached the vehicle.

"Ed reporting for duty!" yelled Ed as he stood at attention and performed a salute.

Chris removed the cigarette from his mouth, and positioned it between the index and middle finger of his right hand.

"At ease soldier," said Chris sarcastically, "How goes it boys? Last day huh?"

"Yep last day!" yelled an exuberant Ed, "Money for Ed now!"

"Ed!" yelled Double Dee, "Please excuse Ed's rudeness Mr. Nicklaus, he's simply excited regarding the holiday season."

"Shit," said Chris in a long drawn out manner, "I can't blame the boy, I'd be excited if I was gettin' paid too."

Chris placed his cigarette into his mouth, and reached toward his pocket.

"I'll tell ya what," said Chris, "Since youse two have been workin' your asses off for the last week and a half, not to mention made all your deliveries on time and profited the business, how's about I give ya's your pay checks now."

Double Dee and Ed smiled radiantly at the conclusion of Chris's statement.

"Why Mr. Nicklaus," said Double Dee, "That's very generous of you!"

"Ah, it's nothin," said Chris as he removed a wad of bills from his wallet and divided it into two piles, "I guess you can say the holiday season has touched us all."

Chris handed a pile of cash to Double Dee.

"One for you," said Chris, after which he passed the next pile to Ed, "And one for you."

"I humbly thank you, Mr. Nicklaus," said Double Dee as he exuberantly counted the bills.

Chris turned around, and returned to tending his truck as Double Dee finished counting his bills; however, the smile that had adorned his face had vanished upon completion of his task.

"Excuse me Mr. Nicklaus," asked Double Dee.

"Yeah," said Chris as he turned to face the boy.

"I don't mean to impose," said Double Dee, "I believe you may have miscounted when distributing our pay. According to my calculations, Ed and I should have received $432.00, but we seem to have only received $216.00."

"I didn't miscount," said Chris, "The deal was $ 432.00 for the work, you guys are free to divide it amongst yourselves as you wish, but the sale is final. You should be thankful that your little friend quit, cause ya would have got even less if ya's divided evenly."

Double Dee appeared quite disheartened; while Ed's share of the pay was just enough to cover the costs of May's automatic pitching machine, the $ 216.00 was not nearly enough to cover the initial costs for Marie's surgery. Ed sensed Double Dee's heartbreak, and placed his hand on Double Dee's shoulder, consoling his friend.

"Look, I can see you're upset," said Chris, "You ain't the first kid to get the pay confused. I suppose I should have been more clear, but that's all water under the bridge and a deals a deal."

The two boys stood in silence for a few moments as Chris took a draw of his cigarette.

"Look ya got your money," said Chris as he replaced the cap on his coolant tank, "If ya don't like it, nothin' stopping ya from leaving. No skin off my nose if I lose a day of work, no ones buyin' anymore trees anyway."

Double Dee remained still, his face maintaining a somewhat somber expression, at which point he turned and looked upward toward Ed. The tall, somewhat dopey boy looked down upon his friend with a frown, his bottom lip trembling knowing that Double Dee's Christmas dreams had come to a halt. However, after a few seconds, Double Dee mustered up a smile and touched his hand to Ed's shoulder. He then turned back towards Chris.

"Mr. Nicklaus," said Double Dee, "We shall do no such thing. Ed and I have committed to providing you superb labor resources until close of business December 20th, and that is exactly what we intend to do. Thank you for your generosity, and providing us with this opportunity, it is most appreciated."

Double Dee turned towards Ed.

"Come now Ed," said Double Dee, "Let's inventory the remaining Christmas decorations, shall we."

As Chris remained focused on his work under the hood, Double Dee lead Ed away from his truck and toward the warehouse, located in the rear of the lot. As Chris removed the oil dipstick, wiping it clean with a paper towel, he uttered a few words to himself.

"Selflessness and integrity, such noble character traits," said Chris in a deep benevolent voice, uncharacteristic of his typical gritty working class voice, "The spirit of the season will be rewarded."

As the Ed boys commenced their final day of work, many of the other teenagers who called the town of Peach Creek home had made their way to the Mall. Teenagers, children and a significant amount of adults made their way down the corridors, admiring the decorations while window shopping for a great holiday deal.

In the half hour since school dismissal, Lindsay had made her way to Peach Creek mall in an attempt to finalize the purchase of her winter ball gown. The blonde girl was currently standing in front of a wall mounted mirror, admiring herself as she awaited the proprietor of the high end dress establishment to return from the back room with her completed gown.

After a few seconds, Lindsay turned towards the sales counter, as if to ensure that the proprietor was still occupied in the back room. Not wasting any time, she grabbed a measuring stick, used to gauge the height of patrons for sizing purposes, from it's resting position adjacent to the mirror. She stared into the mirror as she placed the device in a vertical position, and used her opposite hand to move the indicator to the top of her head.

As much as Lindsay would never admit it, she was quite self-conscious of her above average height. Standing at 5'9" inches tall, (5'11" with her high heeled boots on), she towered above the other girls in her class; the exception being Lee, who shared her body proportions. While this allowed her to maintain a physically imposing profile to the girls she controlled on the cheer squad, it was a trait that she deemed undesirable, due to her viewing it as "un-feminine".

Lindsay's eyes widened as she removed her hand from the indicator. To her surprise, the indicator was positioned at 72 inches, a fact that was quite alarming to the diva.

"Another inch within the last month," said Lindsay to herself, "Six feet tall in heels, what luck..."

Lindsay returned the measuring stick to it's original position, after which she sighed and looked towards the ceiling.

"Looks like the doctors were right", said Lindsay in a somber tone, "I'm on track to catch up to you by the end of this year."

At that point, the proprietor suddenly reappeared from the back room of the store, breaking Lindsay from her thoughts. The exuberant woman brought the gown, contained within a long black dress bag to the sales counter, prompting Lindsay to make her way over to the register. With the swipe of a debit card, Lindsay claimed her gown and bid the proprietor a goodbye as she exited the store.

The tall blonde girl walked a few paces towards the center of the corridor, stopping in front of a life-sized decorative figure of Santa Claus. Using the protruding hanger, she mounted the bag on the extended hand of the statue, took a seat on the adjacent bench, and unzipped her handbag. After a few moments of searching, she located and removed an article of boys clothing; a yellow sweater with a purple stripe running around the area of the torso. The sweater was in fact an exact replica of one commonly worn by a certain stout and loudmouthed boy during the winter months.

"I guess it's time to find yet another stooge," said Lindsay as held the sweater out in front of her, "What in the world have I become?"

At the conclusion of her statement, Lindsay violently threw the sweater onto the bench. She then folded her arms and crossed her legs, scowling as she observed the crowds passing in front of her.


	52. Chapter 52

_Good US East Coast Monday Evening Readers!_

 _KiltedEngineer here, and along with this new chapter comes another exciting announcement._

 _I have played with a few different ideas for the name of a new title to the story, and after thinking long and hard I have made a final decision on what it is going to be._

 _Henceforth, this story will be known as Ed, Edd n' Eddy in_ **Miracles and Mistletoes**.

 _I am really enjoying writing Miracles and Mistletoes (M &M for short), just as much as I enjoyed writing Bad Girls with Big Hearts, if not more due to the inclusion of an OC of my own creation. For video game lovers, I always joke with my readers that BGwBH was my LoZ: Ocarina of Time: relatively straight and to the point, whereas M&M is it's Majoras Mask, a little more quirky, edgier, and an emphasis on several subplots/character interactions supplementing the main plot. Nevertheless, it's the most fun I've had in a while, and I can't wait to finish it._

 _Without further ado, here's the next chapter of Miracles and Mistletoes._

 **Chapter 52**

Elsewhere in the mall, Marie and May had taken their place behind the sales counter of the Green Clover, in preparation for their final evening of work. The atmosphere was quite calm, typical of the late afternoon, as many the people of Peach Creek were still making thruway home from their work/school day.

May was currently adjusting various Christmas knick knacks on display behind the sales counter, including a motion-activated singing Christmas tree, and a set of nesting dolls in the likeness of Santa Claus. Once finished, the blonde pigtailed girl took a step back to admire the display, clasping her hands while smiling. After a few seconds, she turned towards her older sister, who happened to be standing a few feet away at the cash register. The freckle-faced girl had opened the register to inventory the cash, her face displaying a serious expression as she counted the bills.

May made her way over towards Marie's position and leaned her elbows on the glass counter, placing her cheeks in her hands as she stared out onto the sales floor. As she admired the decorations peppered throughout the store, she sighed dreamily and began to speak.

"Well it's our last night in the store" said May in her typical adenoidal voice, "I thought it was hard at first, but it turned out to be fun in the end."

Marie finished counting the bills she held in her hand, placed them in the register, and turned towards May.

"Fun?" asked Marie in a playful manner, "Easy for you to say! I'm the one who had to handle all the money and run the store, your big ass just had to stand around and talk to the customers."

"It's called a girlish figure!" said May as she turned around and arched her back, playfully flaunting her rear to Marie with a smile, "Ain't my fault you can't appreciate the curves!"

"C'mon May, turn away from the counter. You're gonna scare the customers!" said Marie.

"You can say whatever you want!" said May, "You're just jealous!"

"Oh yeah," said Marie, "I'm jealous of the girl that tried to squeeze into jeans two sizes too small to make her ass look bigger for her man, then rips them while she tries to get it on with him. You do know you're supposed to take them off first, don't you?"

Marie cackled in a playful manner as she closed the cash register drawer.

"I know," said May in a melancholy manner, "We're just not ready for anything like that yet."

"You two are sweet," said Marie, "It's so cute, you were always the innocent one of us."

Marie approached May with a smile, and leaned into her ear.

"Just do me a favor and stick to using your hand until you are so I don't lose any more of my good jeans." said Marie after which she punched May in the arm.

Marie laughed as she adjusted her Green Clover apron and turned back towards the counter, leaving May with an ever so slight smile regarding her joke. At that point, Marie decided to change the subject.

"All jokes aside, it did turn out okay," said Marie, "I actually enjoyed working here."

"Me too," said May, "And guess what else? Edith's retiring after Christmas, but she said if we wanted to, we could keep working on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the new floor manager! I think I'm gonna do it!"

"Go for it May!" said Marie, "It's a great fit for ya. The customers love you, and it's really helped you come out of your shell. You'll be great at it!"

"Thanks," said May as she smiled, "But what about you, are you gonna keep working?"

Marie paused for a few seconds prior to responding.

"You know what, I think I will," said Marie, "To be honest, the only reason I took this was to earn money for my Oven Mitts Christmas present, but after dealing with customers for a few days I started to enjoy talking to people. Besides, I guess it's my sisterly duty to stay by your side and keep you out of trouble."

The two girls shared a brief laugh, after which Marie decided to begin cleaning the stores glass countertop with a washcloth. At the same time, May opened a box of store chocolates, and proceeded to shove five of the morsels into her mouth. A few moments passed, at which point Marie decided to continue the conversation.

"But that doesn't mean I'm not excited for the pay." said Marie.

May smiled as she swallowed the food she had placed in her mouth.

"Yeah, me too!" said May, "My big teddy bear love button is going to get his gift after all! I just know he'll be soooo happy, and he's gonna squeeze me like he never squeezed me before!"

May hugged herself as she performed a pirouette.

"You're not the only one excited!" said Marie, "Edith hasn't told us how much we're gonna get, but I've been crunching the numbers and it looks pretty good. I ain't no Double Dee when it comes to math, but I've gotten better since I started."

Marie glanced upwards toward a decorative Christmas star hanging from one of the beams supporting the stores drop ceiling, letting out a long, drawn out sigh in the process.

"I'm only $400.00 away from changing my Dreamboats life for the better," said Marie, "I'm so excited I could cry!"

At the conclusion of Marie's statement, the sound of a bell ringing filled the air; a customer had approached the counter and required assistance in locating an item on the sales floor. As May began making her way to the counter to assist, Marie signaled her to stand down by placing her hand in the air.

"I got this one May," said Marie with a smile, "You just stay back and work on that 'girlish figure'"

Marie giggled as she playfully winked in Mays direction; the brace-faced girl merely responded by sticking her tongue out, as the black haired girl led the customer to their destination, disappearing behind a tall rack of clothes.

May took a seat on the solitary chair behind the sales counter. She proceeded to pick up a sports magazine she had acquired for reading during lulls, and took a sip of the fountain soda she had purchased from the food court prior to work. She had barely opened the magazine when the shrill voice of an elderly woman filled the air.

"Well what do we have here?" asked Edith, "Stealing time on the last day I see."

May jumped to her feet and proceeded to make her way toward the counter with haste; an expression of distress adorned her face as she met the seemingly upset eyes of Edith, standing on the other side of the glass.

A few seconds passed, at which point Edith could no longer control herself, and let loose the chuckle she had kept bottled up inside.

"That one never gets old," said Edith, "Don't worry, you girls have worked your butts off over the last two weeks. I couldn't be angry at your sweet little selves in the slightest."

"Thanks Edith," said May, "Me and Marie couldn't thank you enough for these jobs, you're a life saver!"

"I should be thanking you," said Edith, "Between the dresses and the sales floor, there would have been no way for me to keep up."

Edith briefly paused as she began to unzip the brown purse that adorned her left shoulder.

"Have you girls given any thought to those jobs I offered you?" asked Edith.

"Oh yeah!" said May in an exuberant manner, "Me and Marie would love to keep working here!"

"Fantastic!" said Edith, "Such great work ethic, and sweet personalities to go with it. I think that's enough for a reward."

Edith searched her purse for a few seconds, at which point she removed two white envelopes. Each envelope was adorned with small stickers depicting Santa Claus in each of the four corners; in the center, the words "Annemarie" and "Annamae" were spelled out in cursive handwriting.

"Congratulations," said Edith, "Consider this a token of appreciation for a job well done!"

"Wow," said May as she clutched the envelopes, "Thanks Edith!"

"Don't mention it," said Edith, "Equal pay for equal work. Both of you girls deserve the same reward for being so helpful."

May stared at the two envelopes in her hands, smiling radiantly as if she had opened the present she had always wanted on Christmas morning. A few seconds passed, at which point Edith began walking away from the counter.

"Well, I should be getting back to the seamstress shop," said Edith, " It's a busy night, and even though Annalee's working her butt off, she can't do it all alone. Would you be a dear and make sure Annemarie gets her share, and extend my gratitude to her?"

"Sure thing Edith!" said May, "Thanks again!"

Edith delivered a wink to May as she turned and made her way back towards the seamstress shop. May wasted no time; she excitedly placed Marie's envelope on the counter and began to open hers. Her eyes widened as her eyes came upon the green bills, folded in a neat pile within. The pony tailed girl removed the bills from the envelope, and while she was no mathematician, successfully counted them one-by-one.

"Two Hundred and Fifty dollars!" yelled May in an exuberant manner, "That's more than enough for Ed's comic book set!"

May spent the next few seconds jumping up and down, spinning around as she hugged herself. However, her excitement was cut short when a few of Edith's words finally registered in her brain.

 _Equal pay for equal work._

At that moment, May glanced down toward Marie's envelope, still sitting on the counter where she had left it. She recalled Marie's statement that she required $400.00 dollars for Double Dees Christmas present, and knew that she would be quite upset upon realization that the paycheck was less than expected.

May glanced down at the bills in her hand, examining them with a melancholy expression. May wanted nothing more than to make Ed happy, but she also could not bear to see her sister in emotional turmoil. Throughout her life, she had struggled with the false thought that she was never able to do anything to help her siblings, and that she was provided more opportunities for success than they had been. She needed to do something to help, something to sway fate into providing a Kanker sister other than herself an opportunity to succeed.

With that thought, and a quick mental calculation, May realized that by combining her share with Marie's, it would be more than enough for Marie to pay for Double Dee's present. With a quick glance out on to the sales floor in an effort to ensure Marie was preoccupied, May hastily opened Marie's envelope, removed the cash, and neatly folded her share into Marie's. She stuffed the bills back into the envelope, and placed it back onto the counter, just as Marie reappeared from behind the clothes rack. She quickly replaced her expression of deep thought with a wide smile.

"Jesus, I've only been gone for ten minutes," said Marie noting Mays happiness, "You can't possibly be that happy to see me. What, did you have another Ed fantasy?"

"As a matter of fact I did," said May as she held her envelope up for Marie to see, "Cause we got paid, and I have enough for Ed's Christmas present! This is the best day ever!"

May once again hugged herself as she smiled, channeling her inner actress in an attempt to convince Marie that her words were true.

"Yay May!" said Marie as she made her way around to the back of the counter, and proceeded to grab her sister in a tight squeeze. After a few seconds of cheerful bliss Marie pulled away, maintaining a smile as May continued to mask her emotions.

At that point, May took possession of Marie's envelope, offering it in the direction of her sister.

"Don't ya want to open yours?" asked May.

Marie stared at the envelope for a brief instant, after which she returned her eyes to Mays.

"How much is in there?" asked Marie, "Is it enough for me to pay for Double Dee's wig?"

"Well Edith did say we were paid equally," said May, "But why don't you open it and find out?"

May delivered a slight wink to Marie, at which point her only exposed eye seemed to light up with the intensity of the Rethink Avenue Christmas tree. She hastily opened the envelope, removed the bills, and meticulously counted them.

May watched as Marie's fingers shuffled the bills, her voice counting them in a slight whisper. The black haired Kanker sister became increasingly excited as the count approached $400.00, and even more so as it exceeded that number.

May, while expecting a response of excitement upon Marie realizing that the envelope contained $500.00 was not still not quite prepared for what happened next.

"Five-Hundred Dollars!" yelled Marie at the top of her lungs, her shrill voice echoing through the store. Several customers watched as Marie let out a long drawn out "Whoooooooo!", and proceeded to lift the blonde haired girl into the air with a tight squeeze. She then spun a bewildered May around several times, after which she put her down, grabbed her shoulders, and looked into her face with an exuberant smile.

"This is the best thing that's ever happened to me!" yelled Marie, "I was afraid it wouldn't be enough, but now my Oven Mitt's gonna have the greatest Christmas ever. This will free him of so much heartache, and he'll finally be able to live without the fear of ruining his hat!"

Marie grabbed May in a tight squeeze, placing her head on her little sisters shoulder.

"We did it May!" said Marie as tears of joy began streaming down her face, "We're gonna make our boys the happiest guys alive come Christmas morning, and I can't wait to see it happen!"

May lifted her hands and returned the embrace, holding her sister in a tight squeeze as she pressed her cheek to the side of Marie's face. May's braces glistened under the store lights as she smiled from ear-to-ear, proud beyond belief that she was able to bring an insurmountable amount of joy to her sister, who she saw as much more deserving and in need of the money than she was.

Unbeknownst to the girls, the store customers were not the only individuals observing their display. It just so happened that one of the stores security cameras was trained towards the area of the counter, and projected it's display onto one of several monitors located in the employees-only area of the store. On her way back to the seamstress shop, Edith had paused for a brief moment to observe the security monitors, and had witnessed the entirety of Mays noble act. The elderly woman smiled as she watched the two sisters loving embrace, displaying a benevolent smile.

A few moments passed, at which point Marie finally released May. She placed her cash back into her envelope for safe keeping, and retrieved a mirror from her purse to begin the process of repairing her slightly smeared eyeliner.

"Boy oh boy, I can't wait to tell Lee!" said May as she clasped her hands, "There's no way she can still be upset about the roaches after she hears about this!"

"No way girl," said Marie, "I think she was more embarrassed than upset. Lee has very few real fears, but one of them is definitely roaches. We used to scare her with the little ones back in the apartment, how'd ya think she'd react when one of those giant ones landed on her."

"Yeah," said May, "That was the first time in years I saw Lee scream 'like a girl' and run away like that. It was kind of funny."

"Yes it was," said Marie, after which the two girls shared a laugh.

The two girls resumed cleaning the counter in preparation of the large influx of customers, each displaying smiles on their faces; Marie's due to the knowledge that her beloved would receive his gift, and Mays due to the knowledge that she made her sister happy.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

As the two youngest Kanker sisters shared a laugh regarding Lee's unfortunate accident, Edith had made her way back to the seamstress shop, entering the modest sized room through it's solitary steel door. The room was 25 foot square; the lowest six feet of all four white walls was recessed inward, providing hanging space for what seemed like hundreds of dresses and suit jackets. Peppered around the room were several wooden tables, on which in-progress custom dresses sat next to the tools used to create them.

Edith closed the steel door behind her and made her way toward the table furthest from the door. Lee had spent the second half of her work night at this particular table for the last two weeks, meticulously crafting a copy of the dress contained within the stores lobby under Edith's tutelage. The red-headed fifteen-year-old had progressed quite well for having little experience, and was around an hour away from placing the finishing touches on her masterpiece. As Edith walked towards Lee's work station, Lee remained sitting on the stool adjacent to the table, slowly feeding a portion of the gowns shoulder strap through the industrial sized sewing machine, while remaining completely focused on her work.

Edith took a position behind Lee, leaning slightly upward to gain a view of her work from over her shoulders. A few moments passed, after which an exuberant smile appeared on her face as she began to speak.

"My oh my look at my little apprentice go," said Edith, "You had doubts you'd ever be able to pass basting, and now you're sewing like a professional!"

Lee removed her hands from the emerald green fabric, switched the sewing machine off, and turned around to face her mentor.

"Eh, just doing my job," said Lee as she pushed one of her red locks behind her ear.

"So it is true," said Edith, "You're sisters told me that you're quite the talented one when it comes to learning new things. This project most definitely shows it."

"I guess," said Lee, "It's more like a need than a talent."

"Interesting," said Edith in a witty manner as she pulled up a stool of her own. She proceeded hand Lee a cup of tea she had procured from the food court, keeping one for herself as she she took a seat, "What do you mean by a _need?_ "

Lee took a sip of her tea, and placed the cup down onto the table. She crossed her right leg over her left, folded her arms, and trained her eyes towards the far wall.

"Well, it's kind of a long story." said Lee, "But in a nutshell, from the time I was a toddler I held a lot of responsibilities. My mother was suffering from depression as long as I could remember, and it took a major toll on my family. There was a huge misunderstanding that caused her and my father to separate when I was five, and as if losing the love of her life wasn't enough, my Grandpop, who she was very close to, had a fatal heart attack around a year later. I can remember hearing her crying every night. I'd peak through the keyhole, and see her staring at his picture, telling him she loved him over and over."

Edith watched with concern as Led turned toward her and initiated eye contact.

"My mother's depression took a toll on our welfare," said Lee, "When my Poppy died, so did the bed time stories, the help dressing for school, making breakfast and school lunch, and many other things. I saw how much my sisters missed my Poppy as well, and how sad they were that my mom wasn't herself anymore, and even though I cried my eyes out in private every night out of sadness, I knew I had to be strong for them."

Lee took a sip of her tea.

"My Poppy always read to me," said Lee, "As far back as I could remember, I would just follow along with the words and somehow I just absorbed it. Reading came second nature to me, I can't even remember a time in my life when I couldn't read. I used my advanced reading skills to teach my sisters how to read themselves, and study cookbooks for breakfast recipes. As problems arose, I was forced to solve them. Things like sewing a torn pair of pajamas, washing bed sheets, or cleaning stains off of the carpet came up all of the time, and gave me an opportunity to learn a new skill. When we had the money to eat things besides boiled hotdogs, I let my imagination run wild, and tried cooking all sorts of new things for us to eat. I also discovered a whole bunch of little tricks for removing stains from all kinds of fabrics. And most of all, I found out how challenging it was to be a mother, as that is the essence of why I did what I did. My sisters needed someone, and I knew that someone had to be me."

There was a slight pause as Lee stared into Edith's eyes. Reclusive and distrusting of others by nature, it was rare that Lee decided to open up to anyone regarding her personal struggles, especially someone she had only known for two weeks. However, as she gazed into Edith's eyes, she for whatever reason sensed a feeling of comfort and understanding; it was if the elderly woman emanated the sensation of benevolence, impartiality, and lack of judgement. With that thought in mind, Lee decided to continue expressing her thoughts.

"Still, even though I was really young," said Lee, "I always had a feeling my mom was depressed before my dad left and my Poppy died. She had a look in her eyes that made me feel funny, and it always seemed to happen around the time of Marie's birthday. It went away after my mom moved us to Peach Creek, but ever since I started high school I've noticed it again. I think it's the fact that she's back in Peach Creek, and with the holidays coming up she's remembering a lot of the times spent here with my Poppy."

"Wow," said Edith, "That's most certainly a lot for a little girl to handle. Such selflessness and care for others is something I haven't seen in a quite awhile, and it is unfortunate that we aren't given the chance to witness it as much as we should. Little sweethearts such as yourself deserve to be rewarded for the good you do for others."

Lee giggled in a sarcastic manner, after which she took another sip of her tea.

"Me, a sweetheart?" asked Lee, "I can't pretend to act like I was always the best of people. Let's just say that I had some bad experiences over the years that drove me to become very angry at the world for a few years. I would have completely lost it if my mom hadn't moved us back to Peach Creek, and if it wasn't for him..."

Lee blushed slightly as she completed her sentence. While more emotionally open than usual, she was still attempting to keep her proverbial guard up; accordingly, she quickly attempted to hide her pink cheeks.

"Boyfriend?" asked Edith with a smile.

Lee nodded up and down while displaying a sly grin.

"His name is Eddy," said Lee, "We met around a year and a half ago. My sisters and I used to pick on him and all of his friends all of the time. He was always coming up with ways to try to scam the other kids out of quarters to pay for those big stupid sugar balls he loves do much, but he never thought things through and they always failed. I'm not saying any names, but someone you know might have had a lot to do with them failing."

Lee and Edith shared a slight giggle.

"But anyway," said Lee, "Aside from forcing him to pretend to marry me two summers ago, I never really had a real desire to be his girlfriend until earlier this year. I mean, I always thought he was cute, but after few long talks about our lives I realized how great of a person he was, and that he too was acting the way he was out of anger due to being picked on as a child."

Lee paused.

"My sisters date his friends now too," said Lee, "While we're not as much into the mushy stuff, we're just as air tight as those two knuckle-heads and their men are. He's the greatest, he'll do anything for me. I had him give me twenty dollars to go to this winter ball, and kind of forced him to dance ballet with me for the school talent show. It's a beautiful thing!"

"Well now, I didn't take you for the domineering bossy type!" said Edith, "Forcing him to give up twenty dollars and dance ballet huh? You're a little monster packaged in an Angels wrapping"

Edith cackled at the conclusion of her joke, and playfully reached her right out out to deliver a slap to Lee's knee. Lee remained sitting with her legs crossed, maintaining a neutral facial expression

"Eh, I wouldn't worry about it, he can take it!" said Lee, "Besides, he knows it's cause I lo...care about him and want to spend time with him. It's not like he ever comes up with any ideas for us to have fun, so I have to do all of the leg work."

Edith chuckled.

"So brash, bold and independent," said Edith, "You remind me so much of myself when I was a teenager many years ago. Believe it or not, this white hair was once as red as yours, and this flabby butt was once able to fit in a reasonable waste size!"

The two women shared a laugh.

"So Annalee," said Edith, "You have stated that being gifted at learning new skills as based upon a need. May I ask, what is your need for wanting this dress and winning this winter ball?"

Lee took a sip of her tea, placed it back on the table, and assumed a scowling expression. As she continued to speak, her voice deepened slightly, and her city accent became much more prominent than usual, typical of times when she was exhibiting frustration.

"That's easy," said Lee, "It's to finally put this prissy, no-good, loudmouthed, egotistical bitch I've been dealing with ever since I was in Kindergarten in her place! She thinks she's all that, but she's really nobody. I mean, she joined the cheer team, bought all of the girls with promises of expensive handbags...oh by the way, she's rich too!...and rose to power like some sort of European dictator. And can you believe she has the guts to challenge me to the winter talent show and the winter ball? Thankfully I had Eddy, cause if it wasn't for him impressing the football team, I don't know if we would have won. And if it wasn't for Eddy having twenty dollars for me to get a ticket to the ball, I wouldn't be able to embarrass her in front of everyone. I mean, the girls been wearing the same coat since kindergarten, she actually paid to have it..."

"Whoah, whoah, whoah," said Edith interrupting Lee's rambling complaint string, "Sounds like you and this girl have quite a crazy past. She must have really hurt you for you to have this much anger bottled up inside!"

Lee folded her arms, and trained her eyes towards the far wall.

"You don't even know," said Lee.

Edith smiled as she rose up off of her stool, and made her way over towards Lee's position.

"Regardless," said Edith, as she placed her hand on Lee's shoulder, "There's three things I never want you to forget as you continue your path through life. First, never stop being as selfless as you were during your time spent raising your sisters. Two always be yourself, no matter what challenges you may be faced with in life. And three, open up your heart, and everything will be alright."

Edith removed her hand from Lee's shoulder and made her way over towards the sewing table, leaving the red-headed girl to ponder the elderly woman's words for a few seconds. Upon reaching the table, Edith reached down and took hold of two silver straps acting as the shoulder supports for Lee's emerald green ball gown. She lifted the gown into the air to examine it, as a smile appeared on her face.

"My word, your stitches are excellent!" said Edith, "You did a great job helping out in the seamstress shop Annalee, and especially on recreating that dress."

"Thanks," said Lee, "It's nothing really, just a little hard work, elbow grease, and determination."

"Heard that!" said Edith as she picked up the styrofoam cup holding her tea from the table. With a quick shake, she realized that the carton was empty, and acquired an idea.

"Well looks like we're running on empty," said Edith, "How's about we run out to the food court and grab another round before we start on the next suit jacket?"

"Let's do it!" said Lee as she smiled and placed her hand on Edith's shoulder.

The two women made their way towards the solitary steel door, acting as an employees only entrance to the malls pedestrian walkway. Lee opened the door, allowing Edith to pass through, after which she herself exited, closing the door behind her with an audible click.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

In a flash, the day had come and gone. The winter solstice was fast approaching, causing the sun to set increasingly earlier each evening; the golden disk had begun its descent over the distant mountains around an hour ago, plunging the sky into a beautiful pink and orange hue characteristic of twilight, before disappearing completely over the horizon by 5:25 p.m.

The town of Peach Creek was once again bathed in the darkness of night; the winds were calm, a welcome fact considering that the ambient temperature was below freezing (25 degrees Fahrenheit / -3 degrees Centigrade). In contrast to the wet and cloudy weather exhibited that morning, the night was quite clear; the moon cast its bright light over the neighborhoods as various stars peppered the area of the sky around the white satellite.

The Rethink Avenue cul-de-sac itself was a proverbial ghost town, the only sign of life being the occasional skunk seen scurrying across the street under the bright lights of the large Douglas fir mounted in the center of the roundabout. Nearly all of the inhabitants had vacated their homes, voluntarily exposing themselves to the bone-chilling air to head to the towns business district, where the much anticipated Holiday parade was set to begin

Two and a half miles of the main thoroughfare had been isolated from its cross streets by lines of traffic cones and police barricades, blocking vehicular traffic onto the road, and allowing the festivities full right-of-way. Metal barriers had also been set down the full length of the route along the sidewalks, ensuring that the spectators were separated from the parade in the street. Nearly all of the business lining the sidewalks along the street, from candy stores to toy stores, had hung various multi-colored signs advertising sales, in an effort to capitalize on the large crowds the parade would inevitably draw.

Within the hoards of children and adults, Ed, May, Lee, Sarah and Jimmy had taken up post near the intersection of Main and Market, the busiest intersection of the town. While Sarah and Jimmy were quite excited regarding the parade, as all children generally were regarding the holiday season, Ed and May were perhaps even more excited due to their child-like innocence. Due to Marie's commitment to meet Double Dee at his house to escort his little cousin Claire to the parade, Lee decided to walk to the parade early with her youngest sister, as she had "nothing better to do". Although the stoic redhead acted as if the remainder of the group was annoying her with their holiday cheer, she too in fact was excited for her first experience at the parade.

As Sarah and Jimmy preoccupied themselves by window shopping at the corner toy store, Lee had taken up position near the light post, leaning her back on the metallic structure as she crossed her legs in front of her. Her blue eyes remained focused on solving endgame puzzles involving forcing two move checkmates, provided by the chess app on her cell phone, a hobby which she picked up after the "infamous" chess game played between her and Double Dee last Spring, (but at usual, she dared not to admit it). As Lee enjoyed her puzzles, Ed and May happily pranced around, admiring the scenery as May used a camera borrowed from Tabby to snap pictures of the scenery, Ed smiling dopily, and selfies of the two together.

As May continued documenting her time at the parade via photograph, she decided to initiate a conversation.

"I'm gonna make sure we never forget our first Christmas parade!" said May excitedly, "These sure will look good in the family album."

May directed the camera towards Lee, who's eyes were still trained at her cell phone, and peered into the viewfinder to line up a photograph of her sister.

"Smile for the camera Lee!" said May rather exuberantly.

Lee placed her phone into her pocketbook and rolled her eyes as she glanced toward May.

"May, get that camera outta my face!" yelled Lee as she reached toward May, placing her hand over the lens.

"C'mon Lee, where's your Christmas spirit?" asked May, "What's the matter, afraid you'll break the camera?"

May giggled at her own joke, as Lee turned towards the camera.

"Alright Bucky," said Lee as she ran her fingers through her hair, "I'll give you your picture, just tell me when you're ready!"

"Okay," said May as she lifted the camera to back up towards her eye, "Three...two...one...say cheese!"

"Cheese." said Lee as she posed for the camera as promised; however, rather than a beautiful smile, Lee decided to surprise May by adopting a sly grin, raising her right fist in the air, and extending her middle finger at the last second before the flash.

"Lee!" said May in a long drawn out manner, "That wasn't nice!"

"That's for you're comment about me breaking the camera," said Lee as she giggled,

"Even so, you didn't have to ruin a good picture!" said May.

"Alright whatever," said Lee, "I'll let you take another one, but I ain't smilin'"

Lee leaned against the pole, crossing her right leg in front of her as she folded her arms and gazed toward the camera with a neutral expression.

"Geez, mom was right," said May as she snapped the photograph, "It is hard to get a picture of ya in a good mood. Just cause you miss Eddy doesn't mean ya gotta be a sourpuss and take it out on us!"

"Hey the little mans got more important things to do tonight!" said Lee, "Like getting me a Christmas present. He thinks he's so slick, I know that's what he's been doing at night for the last couple days. I can read the guy like a book, and I think it's cute that he thinks he's got me fooled. I'm just playing along for the sake of the surprise."

Lee snickered.

"If I didn't know any better," said Lee, "I'd think the guy was having an affair, given the way he's being so secretive and stumbling over his words when I ask him about what he's doing."

"Eddy would never do that," said May, "He really likes you, and I know you really like him. It's so sweet that you trust him. You guys are so cute together."

May batted her eyes playfully as she leaned towards Lee, in an attempt to tease the cynical teenager.

"Humph," said Lee, "More like he's too afraid to cheat on me cause he knows I'd kick his ass if I ever found out."

May continued staring at her sister in a teasing manner; after a few seconds, Lee's neutral expression changed to a subtle smile, an indication to her sister that she was right regarding her affection and trust in Eddy and the sardonic statement was just a facade.

"Eddy's a good little elf after all!" yelled Ed, breaking Lee and May from their sisterly conversation, "We promised each other that we'd share a pack of the new candy cane jawbreakers together before they go away after Christmas, but I know Santa's watching, and even though Eddy doesn't believe in him, he's happy that he's spending his time trying to bring happiness and joy to his girlfriend.

At that moment, Ed grabbed May in a bear hug, and while the petite girl was quite surprised she never the less managed to crack a smile.

"Even though I miss Eddy, I am soooo happy I get to be at the parade with all of my other friends," said Ed as he lifted May into the air and spun her around, "Especially my Little May!"

Ed placed May back onto the ground and proceeded to reach into his coat pocket as he kneeled down on one knee.

"I propose that we share this piece of fruitcake I found in the closet last night while we wait for a parade." said Ed as he removed a plastic lunch container from his pocket, and popped open the lid with his right hand, exposing the fruit cake in a manner similar to that of a marriage proposal.

"Oh Ed!" said May as she placed her hand over her mouth, "How romantic, of course I'll share some with you!"

"I got that one from a movie I saw last night," said Ed, "The Wreath Women from planet Yuleblat!"

"You really know how to impress a woman!" said May, smiling as she tore a piece of fruitcake from the container,stuffing it into her mouth with force. Ed rose up from his kneeling position, and proceed to stuff a piece of his own into his mouth, his cheeks swelling to what seemed like twice their normal size.

As the two lovable oafs enjoyed their meal together in a relatively sloppy manner, Lee observed the ordeal from afar with an expression of slight disgust. After a few seconds, her focus was broken as her eyes detected a group of three individuals approaching from her peripheral vision.

Turning her head down the street towards the diction of the cul-de-sac, she spotted Marie and Double Dee making their way down the sidewalk towards her position. Double Dee had donned his thick orange winter coat to protect himself from the unusually cold air, in addition to a green scarf. Likewise, Marie had borrowed Lee's thick black designer wool coat, and was currently wearing it along with a pair of gray earmuffs, blue jeans, and a pair of black winter boots.

To Lee's surprise, the couple was accompanied by another individual; Double Dee's maternal little cousin Claire. She was a girl no more than five years old, whose height reached up to Double Dees hip. Her brown hair was tied in two ponytails, draping over her shoulder from underneath her blue ski cap, which beared the likeness of a popular blonde ice princess. She was bundled up in a manner similar to her older cousin, inside a puffy blue coat, with green mittens and scarf protecting her hands and neck respectively. She walked between the couple, holding Marie's hand with her right hand as she cradled a candy cane in the other.

"So ya's finally made it?" asked Lee with a sly grin as the trio approached within speaking distance, "Between you taking forever with your makeup, and Yukon Cornelius there making sure he's all bundled up for the frozen tundra, I'm surprised you didn't make the poor little girl miss the parade!"

"Ah shut up Lee," said Marie, "Don't be jealous of the makeup skills you wish ya had. I'm surprised May was able to convince you to come out to the parade, you might burn up from having an ounce of fun for once!"

Marie laughed at her own joke.

"If nothin' else, I figured I'd come out to witness the ninth wonder of the world," said Lee as she performed a hitchhikers thumb towards Ed and May, who continued to shove fruitcake into their mouths in a disgusting manner, "I also got a little sneak peak into the future, and witnessed their whole wedding story in five minutes. The big guy bent down on his knee, proposed to her with a piece of fruit cake, and then shoved it into her face. These two knuckleheads are definitely meant for each other."

"Amen to that." said Marie as she watched Ed and May enjoy their fruitcake, adopting an expression of disgust similar to Lee's.

Double Dee, equally as repulsed by Ed and Mays display, spent a few minutes observing the couple, after which he decided to interject.

"While I must admit that Ed and Mays antics are for the lack of a better term, 'unique'," said Double Dee, "I do agree that their personalities are a perfect match for each other."

Double Dee turned back towards Lee.

"Regardless, I'm glad to see that you decided to attend the parade after all Lee," said Double Dee as he placed his hand on Claire's shoulder, "You've met Claire before, haven't you?"

"No, I haven't" said Lee as she glanced down towards the little girl, displaying a small smile.

"Hello Claire," said Lee, "My names Annalee."

Claire, being shy around unfamiliar people older than herself, hesitated to respond. With some persuasion from Double Dee, and a reminder of proper greeting etiquette, she decided to respond.

Edd's mother and her sister had been born in England, and thus posed strong British accents. These inflections had been passed on to Claire, and due to living in England herself while learning to speak, she too possessed this language trait.

"Hello Annalee," said Claire in the voice of a small child. "You look just like Merida from Brave. She's the prettiest princess, just like you, and that's why she's my favorite"

Lee giggled

"Thanks Claire," said Lee, "You're a little princess yourself."

Lee giggled as she turned towards Marie.

"I like this kid already," said Lee, "I nice hello, and a compliment to go along with it, surprising considering she hangs around you all the time."

At the conclusion of her statement, Lee began laughing heavily at her own joke. While the tall, red headed girl was distracted, blinded by her own amusement, Marie decided to initiate a sisterly prank of her own. She leaned down, placed her hand over Claire's ear, and whispered something into her ear.

Marie pulled away from Claire, turned such that she was looking into the young girls eyes, and delivered a nod. Claire's face transformed into a smile as she suddenly reached towards Lee's abdomen.

"Cockroach, cockroach, cockroach!" yelled Claire as she began tickling Lee.

As soon as Claire initiated contact, and began chanting the same of the ever-so-loathed insect, Lee ceased laughing and jumped what seemed like ten feet into the air onto the light post, wrapping her arms and legs around the steel structure. As she jumped, her hair seemed to stand up on end, and her glasses appeared to lift off of her face as she emitted a high pitched, girlish scream that seemed to be at a volume comparable to a fighter jet passing overhead.

In an instant, Marie and Claire erupted in a fit of laughter, Marie with her characteristic cackle and Claire with a child-like belly laugh; even Double Dee couldn't help but giggle, placing his hand over his mouth as if to mask his involvement in the fiasco. Around two seconds passed, at which point Lee recovered and placed her feet back onto the ground. She proceeded to walk towards Marie with an intense scowl.

"You bitch," said Lee as she playfully punched Marie in the arm.

"Ah, lighten up Lee!" yelled Marie, "Just another little holiday prank, I am a bad influence after all, right?"

"Just keep it in mind that I remember everything," said Lee "And I'll get you back when you least expect it it."

After a few more laughs, Claire suddenly adopted an exuberant smile while simultaneously pointing towards the opposite corner of the street, where a man dressed as Santa Claus was giving away small Christmas souvenirs.

"Look Edward!" yelled Claire as she pulled on Double Dee's jacket, "There's Father Christmas, let's go see him!"

Marie giggled observed Claire grab Double Dees hand, and begin dragging him towards the street corner, her nerdy boyfriend stumbling over his footing due to being taken by surprise by the rambunctious five-year-old. As he was being led away, he turned toward Marie and locked eyes with her, smiling as he subtly shrugged his shoulders as if to say "I guess I have no choice."

As Marie watched Double Dee and Claire make their way across the street, she felt an individual's hand touch her right shoulder. She turned to her right, immediately locking on to the smiling face of her best friend Nazz. Accompanying Nazz was her stern boyfriend Kevin, who had elected to remain a few paces away from the girls. In contrast to Nazz's exuberant expression, the jock's eyes remained fixated on an imaginary point in the middle of the street, providing the overall appearance of extreme lethargy.

"What's up girlfriend!" said Nazz.

"Hey Nazz" said Marie, "Sorry about missing our yoga session this afternoon, I was busy helping Double Dee get Claire ready for the cold."

Marie turned her head towards the street corner, ensuring that Double Dee was still preoccupied and out of hearing distance. She then turned back towards Nazz and leaned towards her ear.

"And earning enough money to afford Double Dee's Christmas present!" said Marie.

"You got enough?" asked Nazz.

Marie shook her head up and down with a smile.

"You go girl!" said Nazz as she slapped Marie five, "He's gonna be so happy!"

"I know, I can't wait!" said Marie.

Marie turned towards Kevin's position, talk notice of the boys sunken demeanor. She then decided to pose a question of her own.

"Speaking of which," said Marie, "How's your man's present coming along?"

"Great," said Nazz, "The dealer said it will be done in two days. The worst part about it is dealing with Kevin sulking around all day, everyday. I swear, it's like he loves that bike more than me. I guess it's my fault for trying to pay him back for letting my stupid real name out to the world, now I have to deal with Ebenezer Scrooge himself."

"I know what you mean," said Marie as she shot her eyes towards Lee, who had returned her eyes to her chess app, "I'm dealing with a Scrooge of my own, I don't know if it's her period or the fact that Eddy couldn't make it to the parade tonight."

At the sound of Eddy's name, Nazz seemed to suddenly tense up, appearing as if she were under some sort of mental distress.

"Eddy couldn't make it?" asked Nazz, "Where is he?"

"How the hell should I know," said Marie, "He says his family keeps dragging him out shopping or to gift exchanges, but Lee thinks he's out planning a Christmas surprise for her."

As Marie continued speaking, Nazz appeared to space out, consumed by thought regarding her assumption that Eddy was having an affair with Lindsay behind Lee's back. A few second passed, at which point a playful punch roused her from her thoughts.

"Hello, earth to Nazz!" said Marie, "Jeez what the hell were ya thinking about to be that out of it."

Nazz paused for a few seconds, taking some time to collect her thoughts prior to responding.

"Sorry Marie," said Nazz, "I just remembered I promised Julia that we'd decorate Christmas stocking like we used to when I was little tonight. It's something we've been wanting to do all season, sorry I gotta go bye!"

Nazz wasted no time, and proceeded to make her way towards Kevin. She explained her need to leave the parade early, and kissed him goodbye, after which she began to briskly walk down the street in the direction of the cul-de-sac.

"Okay..." said Marie as she observed Nazz's departure, after which she made her way back towards Lee, "That was weird."

"What else is new," said Lee as she placed her phone into her pocket book, and turned her attention towards the far end of the street, "Anyway, looks like this shindig's finally ready to start, here comes the first float."

At that moment, thunderous applause erupting from a crowd consisting of almost the entire town of Peach Creek echoed through the streets, ushering in the beginning of the annual Christmas parade. Double Dee and Claire, upon noticing the approach of the parade, quickly rejoined their group of Rethink avenue friends, gathering near the metal barrier separating the sidewalk from the street for a front row seat.

The parade consisted of around fifty floats, built by hobbyists, local businesses, and charitable groups, interspersed with performances by local groups. As May eagerly snapped pictures, the remainder of the group watched excitedly as displays of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and other legendary holiday figures passed before them. A particular display included a comic book theme, depicting various superheroes celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. One of the displays included Ed and Mays favorite comic book anti-hero, Evil Tim, a fact that obviously brought an immense sensation of joy to the couple.

In addition to the floats, other performances included the Peach Creek High School Marching Band, performing several of the band masters own arrangements of Holiday classics, and various local groups representing how Peach Creek's various cultures celebrate the holiday season. Also included were various groups invited to perform from Peach Creeks parent city, such as a performance from the veterans administrations jazz band.

As the parade continued to pass by, the teenagers of Rethink Avenue applauded, and provided cheers at the conclusion of each performance. Double Dee in particular was quite enamored by the love being shown by his town, who welcomed his family with open arms after their unfortunate tragedy. He glanced down towards Claire, currently sucking on a jawbreaker as she smiled from ear to ear, enjoying every minute of the festivities. He then turned his attention toward Marie, who stood on the opposite side of Claire; who was displaying a radiant smile herself.

At that moment, Double Dee reached behind Claire, and took Marie's hand in his. Marie turned her head towards her boyfriend, locking eyes with him as the two shared a smile.

"Well Marie," said Double Dee, "Words cannot describe how fantastic I feel at this very moment. Our friends and family, not to mention the entire town, have all gathered here in our proverbial town square to mutually enjoy the spirit of the holiday season! And how wonderful it is to share it with you and Claire."

"Believe me," said Marie, "You don't know how much this means to me. This is our first Christmas as a whole family in over ten years,and everyone is happy. May can't stop taking pictures, and I swear I saw Lee crack a smile. This is fantastic."

"I suppose I should be thanking you," said Double Dee, "I must admit, between learning of Eddy's plan to use Rolf's strange antics to deter Lindsay, his banishment from the mall for the remainder of the holiday season, the sudden disappearance of Kevin's bike, the mishap with my cockroaches today in school, and most of all, this ugliness resulting from Lee and Lindsay's turbulent past, I would have thought the holiday spirit would have all but disappeared. I can't help but recall your words of encouragement regarding the release of all my worries, to be specific your advice that everything would resolve and fall into place. While I did have my doubts regarding the final outcome, judging on the basis of my surroundings, I can conclude that following your guidance was the correct course of action."

"Of course," said Marie, "Have I ever been wrong cutie?"

The couple shared another smile, at which point Marie began to lean towards Double Dee in an attempt to initiate a kiss. However, just as her lips were about to make contact with Double Dee's, she felt a small hand tug on her sweater. She turned downward, meeting eyes with Claire, who proclaimed that she needed to use the bathroom and wanted Marie to take her to the girls room.

"We'll take up where we left off when I get back." said Marie with a sly grin, as she took hold of Claire's hand and began leading her towards one of the stores lining the avenue.

Double Dee remained focused on Marie and Claire as they walked away from his position, smiling happily as they disappeared into the store.


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the towns business district, all was eerily quiet back at the Rethink Avenue cul-de-sac. With the end of autumn fast approaching, the sound of hissing cicadas and crickets ever present on warm summer nights had disappeared, replaced by a still silence. While the bitter cold kept most of those who elected to pass up the parade indoors, there was one individual who decided to brave the elements, all for the sake of justice.

Jonny 2x4, typical of his "loner" persona, had opted out of going to the parade when asked by his friends. The large headed boy had once again transformed himself into Captain Melonhead, and had taken up post in his tree house as he did every night. The boy had spent the last hour "on watch", using a telescope to observe Rethink Avenue, while his partner "Splinter the Wonderwood kept watch over the lane.

Jonny panned he telescope up and down the street, observing absolutely nothing save for the asphalt lining the street.

"Well Splinter," said Jonny, "It's quite the quiet night. But we must remember that crime can strike at any time, and the grinches are just waiting for us to let our guard down so they can initiate their evil plans."

Jonny placed his hand up to his ear, and leaned in the direction of Plank for a few moments.

"No, we don't have to worry about the parade buddy," said Jonny, "There are plenty of law enforcement officers there to handle any criminals that may decide to strike. I believe Harlequins father is on patrol tonight, and if crime fighting runs in the family, I am sure they are good hands!"

At that point, the sound of three loud knocks emanated from the center of the treehouse; specifically from the area of the trap door acting as the entrance/exit of the structure.

"Identify yourself!" said Jonny.

"It's me!" said the voice of Nazz, "Unlock the door it's freezing out here!"

"One moment please, I'll buzz you in," said Jonny as he made his way over to the trap door, and disengaged the small sliding bolt. He dashed back over to his chair, sat down, and made a loud buzzing sound with his voice, attempting to imitate the sound of an electromagnetically activated lock.

At that moment, Nazz pushed the hatch into the fully open position, climbed into the tree house, and closed the door behind her. She had donned her "Harlequin Honeydew" superhero outfit, as she did every night upon entering the melon cave for "neighborhood watch" in exchange for Jonny keeping her Christmas surprise a secret. However, while the charade began as a simple obligation due to blackmail, the mysterious activities surrounding the presumed Eddy/Lindsay affair had piqued Nazz's interest, and managed to become her new motive for playing the role of Harlequin Honeydew.

"Harlequin Honeydew?" asked Jonny, "Speak of the devil, Splinter and I were just discussing how much of a wonderful asset you are to our crime fighting team. We didn't expect you to report for duty for another hour, is there an emergency?"

"As a matter of fact, there is," said Nazz, "Have you seen Eddy yet?"

"Negative," said Jonny, "I would have assumed citizen Eddy had plans to attend the parade."

"Well he's not there dude," said Nazz with an air of concern, "And he isn't telling Lee where he is. She says when she asks, he's making up excuses and stumbling over his words a lot. This is seriously uncool, I hate guys like that. I mean, Lee can be rough around the edges, but I like her, and she's my best friends sister. I have an obligation to look out for her best interest."

"Hmmm," said Jonny, "You have a point Harlequin, but infidelity is a serious accusation, and we need to be sure we have all of the proper evidence prior to fingering our culprit."

"What more do we need?" said Nazz, "The secret notes, the fact that he's not at the parade, the fact that he's stumbling over his words and being really vague. I mean, c'mon, a Christmas surprise? Give me a..."

At that point Jonny decided to interject.

"Hold you thoughts Harlequin," said Jonny as he placed his eye on the telescope, "I've detected motion on the melon scope."

Jonny spent a few seconds panning the telescope up and down the street, and bringing the lens into focus, eventually training it's eyepiece towards the vicinity of Eddy's house.

"Well I'll be," said Jonny, "I have positive confirmation on Citizen Eddy, due west on Rethink Avenue."

"Let me see" said Nazz as she picked up a pair of binoculars and placed them over her eyes.

Even with the minimal light provided by the lamps peppered along the street, and the light emitted by the Rethink Avenue Christmas tree, the darkness of night made it difficult to identify the figure making it's way out of Eddy's yard and onto the sidewalk. Due to the low light conditions, and the shadows falling on that particular area of the street, the only detectable features of the individual in question was the shape of their silhouette. From the treehouse, the shaped appeared quite stout, and appeared to walk rather slowly with it's hands in it's pockets, just as Eddy did. In addition, the shape displayed three protuberances from the area of it's head, characteristic of Eddy's hairstyle.

"It is him," said Nazz as they continued to observe the events occurring below , "Let's just see what kind of surprise the little sneak is supposedly working on for Lee."

Unfortunately, the dynamic duo failed to realize that they had case of mistaken identity; under better lighting conditions, it would have been quite easy to see that the silhouette in fact belonged to Rolf, who was on his way to Lindsay's house for dinner.

Rolf had stopped by Kevin's house earlier that day to request his assistance on how to make a great first impression. Preoccupied with the thoughts of his missing bike, as well as his new workout routine (inspired by Eddy's body transformation, he had begun lifting weights in an attempt to catch up to his friend), Kevin offered him the opportunity to borrow some of his cologne, as well as a dress sweater for the night, allowing Rolf access to his room while he attended the parade. Due to Rolf exiting Kevin's house via the side alley, it appeared as if he was leaving Eddy's house via his personal bedroom door.

In addition, Rolf had retrieved Lindsay's order of meats from the Polish Butcher shop as promised. The box was relatively heavy, causing the boy to hunch over as he carried it down the street, curtailing his usual tall height and making him appear short and stout from a distance. Finally, due to Rolf's belief that Lindsay adored exploring foreign cultures, he had decided to share yet another strange custom with his "Sweet Babushka". In Rolf's culture, it was customary for men to arrive to the first feast shared with the woman they were courting wearing a potted plant on their head. This pot contained three long pieces of a certain herb, each resembling a species of tall grass; from a distance and under the low light conditions, it was quite easy to mistake it for Eddy's hairline.

Under ordinary circumstances, due to his pride as a "son of Shepard", and his love of assisting his parents in their butcher shop downtown, Rolf would be quite enthusiastic regarding anything involved with the delivery/processing of meats (especially around the holidays). However, rather than humming folk tunes and smiling happily as he made his way down the street, the prospect of going on his first "date" had left him nervous wreck. Although the temperature was quite chilly, the boy appeared as if he were within a sauna, with beads of sweat dripping from underneath his headpiece at an alarming rate as he continued on his way towards the second cul-de-sac.

Meanwhile, inside the Statorowski residence, Lindsay had decided to spend some time relaxing on her bed. The blonde girl had kicked off her high heeled boots, and removed her signature maroon coat for comfort, leaving her wearing a purple short-sleeved undershirt, blue jeans and a pair of black socks. She was laying with one arm behind her head, placing it strategical to aid in comfortable viewing of her wall-mounted, 52" flat screen television. At the foot of the bed was Lindsay's lockbox, sitting on the floor in it's unlocked and open position.

Lindsay was currently watching what appeared to be a recorded local news interview. On the screen were two women, each sitting across from each-other on stools. The woman on the right, and older blonde woman of about fifty years of age donned a long black dress and black high heels, and was sitting with her legs crossed as she cradled a few pages of notes in her hand. She appeared to be a reporter, conducting an interview on the woman sitting on the opposite stool; a young, very slender blonde haired woman, appearing to be in her early twenties. This particular woman was wearing a blue business jacket, dress pants, and brown high heeled shoes. She sat with her legs crossed as well, appearing as if she were a mirror image of the reporter; she smiled exuberantly as she answered the interviewers questions, keeping her hands folded on top of her thighs as she did so. On the bottom of the screen, the news stations logo was digitally superimposed on top of the picture, as well as the words " _Local Young Women In Business"_ providing a viewer into the insight of the program.

Lindsay stared at the television, focused on the program as she seemingly attempted to hold back tears, all the while displaying a disheartened expression. She let out a melodramatic sigh, at which point the doorbell (in the tune of Westminster chimes) began to sound, signifying Rolf's expected arrival. At that moment, Lindsay jumped off of the bed and reached for her fur coat, currently hanging from the bed canopy for convenience. She placed her arms inside and zipped it up, after which she ran over to the entertainment center and ejected the DVD she had been viewing. She placed it inside it's jewel case for protection, then gently returned it to it's usual stowed position inside her lock box. She closed the box, and after ensuring it was properly secured, slid it back underneath her bed. Finally, she turned towards the mirror mounted on her vanity, ensured her hair was presentable, and made her way out of her room and down the stairs to the front door.

As the tall diva opened the door, she appeared quite taken aback as Rolf came into view, due to the fact that he was wearing a potted plant as if it were a crown. Otherwise, the boy appeared quite presentable, wearing a pair of black dress shoes, a pair of dark blue neatly pressed jeans, and a black dress sweater that appeared to be at least one size too small for him. On top of the dress sweater, Rolf had donned one of Kevin's brown dress jackets, borrowed for the occasion.

A brief moment passed, at which point Lindsay shook off her surprise, and returned to "character" by adopting a sultry grin.

"Hey cutie!" said Lindsay in a flirty voice, "I'm so happy to see you, come on in it's cold out there!"

Lindsay moved to her side, and lifted her arm towards the interior of the house as if to welcome Rolf in. Slowly but surely, the boy nervously took her up on her offer, stepping onto the shiny tiled floor as Lindsay closed the door behind him. As Lindsay engaged the door latch, Rolf took a few moments to observe his surroundings; the foyer was a 14' x14' room, with an 18 foot ceiling. A grand staircase, it's treads, risers and banister made of cherry, rose along the right and wall, meeting a mezzanine overlooking the foyer at the top. An elaborate crystal chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, accenting the elaborate stain-glassed window adorning the area above the door. Wainscoting, painted in a dull grey hue, lined the lower five feet of the walls, while the remainder was covered with floral patterned, light gray wallpaper. The decorative style of the foyer, and the remainder of the house, was typical of interior design in the Victorian period (late 1800s), reflecting Mr. Statorowski's admiration of the era.

As Rolf admired his surroundings, Lindsay took the box holding the meats out of his hands and placed it on the floor. She then took hold of his coat, and began removing the sleeves from his arms.

"How's my little sweet muffin this evening?," said Lindsay as she finished removing the coat, while delivering Rolf as small kiss on the cheek. She proceeded to hang it neatly on the walnut coat rack adjacent to the door.

"Rolf is quite pleased to see his Sweet Babushka once again," said Rolf, "But Rolf's head grows moist, and the beads of the sweat drip down Rolf's face as efficiently as the waters of the sky fall down the gutters of Rolf's chicken coop. Rolf has never participated in a...how do you say, 'date' in accordance with your strange local customs."

"Don't be nervous sweetie," said Lindsay, as she leaned into Rolf's face, "It's just me, and I like you just the way you are."

At that point, Lindsay's eyes slowly trained upward towards Rolf's headpiece, and her face transformed to one of slight disgust.

"But why don't we just get this off of your head to give you a little bit of relief, okay?" asked Lindsay as she removed the pot from his head, holding it in her hands.

"You like?" asked Rolf, "Rolf has been told by the small fry-Ed boy smitten with the eldest sister of Kankers that you have a keen interest in the cultures of Rolf's old country. Rolf has decided to bring you the planter of Pliebes. Each herb represents a pillar of the affections, and the presentation of which is a long standing demonstration tradition upheld by Rolf's many male ancestors."

Lindsay continued to hold the pot in a state of confusion.

"Would you like Rolf to explain moral the significance of each herb?" asked Rolf.

"Maybe later Hun," said Lindsay as she slowly placed the pot on the floor next to the door. She then grabbed Rolf's hand, and began leading him towards the living room, "Let's go get my dad. It's time for dinner."

The living room of the house was a cozy space, furnished with a leather couch and armchair, green floral wallpaper with walnut baseboard, and authentic Tiffany Co. Stain-Glassed Lamps in the corners. Although the room decor seemed akin to a walk-in time capsule, the room was not without modern amenities; on the wall was a large plasma screen television, flanked by custom built surround-sound speakers, as well as a forty gallon marine aquarium, containing several colorful species of coral and tropical fish.

Chuck was currently tending to his prized aquarium, taking pH and temperature measurements as he hummed a tune to himself. Once he ensured everything was in order, he kneeled down in front of the aquarium to admire his fish. As the eccentric, fun-loving man made faces at fish near the glass, puffing his cheeks as if he were a pufferfish, Lindsay and Rolf entered the room. The duo made their way over towards the fish tank, their reflection appearing in the glass next to Chucks own.

"Dad, Rolf's here," said Lindsay as she approached Chuck from behind.

"Alright," said Chuck in an enthusiastic manner, as he stood up, turned around and held his hand out towards Rolf, "Good to you see you again Rolf, thanks for coming to dinner."

"Yes sir," said Rolf as he shook Chucks hand, "The pleasure of the feast is mine, Mr. Stat...stats or...stat.."

"Call me Chuck," said Chuck, quelling Rolf's difficulties in pronouncing his last name, "And if you have trouble pronouncing our last name at first, don't sweat it. It is a quadrisyllabic word after all, containing three alveolar consonants, and one labialized velar consonant. Kind of complicated when you really break it down. It will eventually roll off the tongue though."

Chuck giggled at his intellectual joke.

"Seriously Daddy," said Lindsay in a pedantic, yet playful manner, "You're such a dork."

"Takes one to know one!" said Chuck as he stuck his tongue out in Lindsay's direction, causing his daughter to playfully slap him as he continued to giggle.

Rolf smiled as he observed the playful interaction between father and daughter. Undoubtably, his naive and carefree nature did not allow him to fully grasp the scope of the events playing out before him. He was being given an opportunity afforded only to the Statorowski family, and previously to the Kanker sisters; the opportunity to witness Lindsay with her proverbial guard down, feeling free to be herself in front of trusted individuals.

As the two Statorowskis engaged in their playful banter, Rolf's eyes began to wander around the room, eventually honing in on the wooden coffee table located in front of the sofa. On the coffee table was an open box depicting a picture of a John Deere Tractor, with the words "authentic 1:16 scale model" displayed underneath. Scattered around the box was a smorgasbord of small plastic components, some of which were still attached to the webbing characteristic of model packaging, while others sat staged, ready to be assembled to the partially completed wheelbase of the replica.

"Hoho," said Rolf as he smiled in Chucks direction, "Rolf is surprised to see a miniature version of the tractor Rolf's family has used to till the soils for generations. You like tractors, yes?"

"Are you kidding!?" said Chuck, "I love all kinds of old vehicles. Ever since I was a little boys I've been obsessed with all things heavy machinery, especially diesel. Tractors, combines, bulldozers, and especially trucks. This is just my newest model, I got a ton completed already."

"Rolf is also fascinated with the workings of the diesel engine," said Rolf, "From an early age, Rolf has been tasked with the responsibility of maintaining the family tractors, a tall task for Rolf, as our livelihood depends on it."

"Nice," said Chuck, "What kind of power are you working with?"

"Hmm," said Rolf, "Detroit Diesel...how do you say...inline 4?"

"No kidding!" yelled Chuck, "I love Detroit Diesel. I just bought a V6 Series 92 TA from the city transit authority. They used them on all those old Neoplan buses they're currently deactivating, and they're auctioning off all the old parts. I'm working on restoring it right now, it's out in the garage!"

Chuck turned towards Lindsay.

"You picked the right guy Little T", said Chuck, "He's already won me over just by mentioning Detroit Diesel!"

Chuck laughed at his own joke.

"Great," said Lindsay rather sarcastically, after which she glanced towards the ornate grandfather clock sitting across the room. After noting the time, she walked towards Rolf's position, took possession of the package Rolf had brought with him, and began making her way to the kitchen.

"Well, sounds like you two have a lot to talk about," said Lindsay, "Why don't you take Rolf to the garage and show him the Detroit...whatever, while I get dinner situated."

"Nonsense," said Chuck, "Rolf's your guest, not to mention your boyfriend, and you always make dinner when it's just us. You two watch some tv while I heat it up."

"No, I don't mind," said Lindsay rather assertively, "Go to the garage, I'll take care of it!"

Chuck paused momentarily before replying.

"Alright, have it your way!" said Chuck happily as he began to lead Rolf in the direction of the garage, "Don't forget the duck blood soup, Dyt's got it waiting in the fridge it just needs a warmup."

"Oh, I won't forget." said Lindsay under her breath as she exited the living room.

In a matter of seconds, Lindsay had entered the kitchen. She approached the counter, placed the container she was carrying on top, and proceeded to opened it. The contents of the box included the meat Lindsay had ordered earlier that day, as well as a pot of stew Rolf had brought for the occasion. Lindsay removed the stew from the box, placing it on the center island out of the way of the cooking surface, after which she opened the refrigerator.

On the top shelf sat a plastic container of Chucks favorite cultural concoction, Duck Blood soup, crafted by Edyta earlier that day while Chuck was at work and Lindsay was in school. Lindsay removed the container from the icebox, and glanced upon it with disgust as she walked it across the room towards the garbage can.

"Whoops," said Lindsay sarcastically as she dropped the container into the bin, after which she made her way back over to the counter. She then reached upward, opening one of the overhead cabinets, and removed a cook book containing Polish recipes.

The entire book was written in the polish language, however the table of contents was easily deciphered by the fluent Lindsay. She scanned the text, her long pink finger nail grazing the paper line by line until she found the words she was looking for:

 _Czernina...Strona 13_

 _(Blood Soup...pg. 13)_

Lindsay turned to the applicable page of the cookbook and, with haste, began removing the ingredients she had purchased earlier that day from the box, intent on making her own rendition of her fathers favorite soup.


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56**

An hour had come and gone, and the Statorowskis had just finished up dinner. Lindsay and Rolf were currently making their way up the wooden stairs leading to the second floor of the residence, on their way to Lindsay's room to fit Rolf's tuxedo as planned.

From Rolf's perspective, dinner had went exceptionally well. Rolf and Chuck spent what seemed like an eternity engaged in conversion about Diesel engines and foreign food; while the two men shared exuberant smiles as they conversed at lightning speed, Lindsay appeared as if she was being driven insane. Compounding Lindsay's annoyance with Rolf and Chuck's conversation regarding topics she didn't particularly care about was the choice of cuisine. As usual, Lindsay opted to make herself plate consisting of a choice of standard meat cut, vegetables, and her favorite food a baked potato. However, she was not able to enjoy her meal as much as she hoped to, for the "girly girl" was driven to disgust as she witnessed Rolf and Chuck tear away at Rolf's dish (Octopus tentacles and pigs eyes) as if they had never ate before, and literally drink entire bowls of Lindsay's duck blood soup; the display resulted in the young girl losing her appetite.

As the two approached the door to Lindsay's room, the tall girl removed a set of keys from one the pockets sewn into her coat. As she inserted the key, she decided to initiate a conversation.

"Alright, let's get this over with," said Lindsay, "A few rules. One, you don't touch anything without asking me. Two, you do not go anywhere near my private bathroom, open any cabinets, or come with me into the closet. And three, most important, you do not lay down on my bed, got it."

Lindsay turned the key, and upon realizing that she could have potentially appeared rather harsh to Rolf, decided to bring light to the situation.

"Thanks for understanding sweetie," said Lindsay as she pinched his cheek, "It's a girl thing, ya know?"

Rolf simply smiled as Lindsay opened the door.

"Well, here it is," said Lindsay as she entered the room, signaling Rolf to come in, "Come on in."

Rolf entered the room, taking his place standing in the center as Lindsay closed the door behind him. He observed his surroundings, feeling somewhat awkward being in a girls room due to it being his first time doing so, as well as his culture frowning upon such things. Nevertheless, he managed to retain his typical chipper persona.

"Rolf enjoys being given the privilege of entering his sweet Babushkas room," said Rolf, "In Rolf's culture, ones bedroom is a window to ones desires, and a shrine to all things near and dear to them. Your walls are as pink as the skin on Rolf's pig Wilfred, and signify the purity of your heart, just as Rolf has already known."

"Meh, suits me," said Lindsay as she began making her way towards her walk-in closet, "I'll be right back, you wait here while I get your winter ball tuxedo."

Lindsay opened the door leading into her spacious closet, and turned on the single overhead light by pulling it's long silver chain. She gently pushed the door towards the closed position, no quite hard enough for it to latch, but enough to prevent Rolf from witnessing activities occurring inside. After ensuring she was isolated from Rolf, she turned her attention to the interior of the closet. Lining the red walls were long poles, on which hung too many pairs of shirts and pants to count. Below the hanging garments were several pairs of shoes, ranging from high heels to sneakers, of multiple different colors and styles.

While the clothing selection in the main area of the closet seemed insurmountable, the garment Lindsay was currently looking for was not among it. Rather than rummaging through the clothes out in the open, Lindsay made her way to a set of two double doors that seemed to form a "sub closet" within the main area. These particular doors were secured in the closed position by two locks, each requiring it's own key to open. Lindsay turned towards the entrance door, and after ensuring she was still alone, proceeded to unlock the doors using keys mounted on the same ring as the one used to unlock the door to her room.

The inside of the secured area was quite small, with enough room for only a few garments. Inside, two dresses hung from a silver bar; one light blue in color and made of satin, and another one pure white in color, appearing extremely ornate and made of charmeuse. Both dresses appeared to be tailored to fit an individual a few inches taller than Lindsay, and of a very slim frame.

Hanging adjacent to the dresses was a black bag, containing the tuxedo Lindsay had procured for Rolf. She quickly removed it from it's hook, closed the doors (ensuring that they were properly locked) and returned to her bedroom, ordering Rolf into her private bathroom to change into the garments.

As Lindsay awaited Rolf's return, she took a seat on her bed and began combing her hair, turning her vanity mounted mirror towards her to ensure that her blonde waves hung perfectly over her shoulders as expected. Around ten minutes passed, after which the door to the bathroom finally opened, and Rolf emerged wearing his tuxedo. The tuxedo was formal indeed, and consisted of a black suit jacket and dress pants, a light blue vest, and a white undershirt. As Rolf made his way into the bedroom, he appeared quite nervous as he attempted, (and failed) to tie his bow-tie.

"Poppycock!" said Rolf, "Rolf must apologize, as he still fails to understand the working of these strange garments worn by the people of the country on the formal occasion."

"Ugh, do I have to do everything?" asked Lindsay as she rolled her eyes, stood up off of her bed, and walked towards Rolf's position. She proceeded to take both ends of the tie in her hands, and begin the process of forming it into a bow.

As Lindsay began working on Rolf's tie, the tall eccentric boy decided to initiate a new conversation as he adopted a radiant smile, and sighed dreamily.

"My sweet Babushka," said Rolf, "Words in any language cannot express how happy Rolf is to be with you tonight, and to be into your humble abode."

"Yeah," said Lindsay in a sarcastic manner, "It's a blast."

"Most of all," said Rolf, "Rolf is pleased to meet the man his beautiful Schmetlockin calls father, and even more pleased that Rolf shares many common interests with him."

Lindsay remained silent as Rolf momentarily paused, after which he adopted an expression of curiosity.

"Tell me Lidsy," said Rolf, "Who is this, A...did-a your Papa speaks of at the dinner table."

"It's A-deed-ah," said Lindsay, adopting a slight scowl, "She's my...mother."

"Ah," said Rolf, "And where is this mother?"

"Out," said Lindsay.

"Well Rolf most certainly wishes to meet her," said Rolf, "For in Rolf's culture, not meeting the mother of the courted female in a timely manner is a sure sign of shame and..."

Lindsay suddenly used both her hands to tighten the tie around Rolf's neck. Defying all logic, Rolf's head seemed to swell up in a cartoonish fashion as his eyes bulged out of his head.

"Listen," said Lindsay, "I said my mothers out, and that's all you need to know. In my culture, we don't ask foolish questions that are none of your business, understand?"

Rolf nodded his head up and down, at which point Lindsay released her grip, allowing Rolf to relax and catch his breath. As Lindsay completed the process of tying the tie, a proverbial light bulb ignited above her head as she saw the perfect opportunity to execute a plan she had in mind for days.

"But guess what cutie," said Lindsay, "I am willing to share some more about dating in our culture if you're willing to listen."

"For you my Sweet Babushka," said Rolf, "Rolf will travel to the furthest reaches of the world. What is it you say you wish to share with Rolf regarding this hubbub you call dating?"

"Well..." said Lindsay, "If I recall, it was your friend Eddy that encouraged you to pursue me, correct?"

"Yes," said Rolf, "The small fry Ed boy assisted Rolf greatly, and Rolf is thankful beyond belief."

"I thought so," said Lindsay, "See in our culture, it's customary for a gentleman to pay honor to any guy that introduced them to their girlfriend by stealing a pair of his most colorful underwear, and presenting them to their loved one."

Rolf appeared quite bewildered as he stared into Lindsay's seductive eyes.

"Rolf is confused," said Rolf, "Rolf does not remember boy Kevin stealing a pair of the garments that adorn Rolf's nether regions, even though Rolf introduced him to the Go-Go Nazz girl."

"That's because it's supposed to be a secret honey!" said Lindsay as she wrapped her arms around Rolf's neck, "C'mon love, tonight's the perfect opportunity, everyone's at the parade. You'll be able to sneak in and out without being noticed. You aren't going to let me down, are you?

Lindsay leaned closed to Rolf's ear as she whispered her last line in a sultry tone. The sound of her voice, in addition to the feeling of her breath on his ear, seemed to place Rolf into a proverbial trance.

"Have no fear Lidsy," said Rolf, "For Rolf has no qualms upholding your traditions. I shall retrieve your garments quickly and efficiently after we finish fitting Rolf's tuxedo!"

"Yay!" said Lindsay as she reached out and hugged Rolf, "I knew I could count on you!"

Rolf smiled as he placed his arms around Lindsay, who rested her head on Rolf's shoulder. Lindsay, however displayed an expression of sadness as she held Rolf in an un-genuine embrace, staring at the wall behind Rolf as if she were in a trance herself.

"Our first true embrace," said Rolf in a soft manner, after which he suddenly raised the volume of his voice, "A celebration I say!"

Rolf let go of Lindsay, and made his way over toward her bed, upon which the blue jeans he had worn to the house sat neatly folded. He reached into his pocket, and retrieved a small wooden figurine. He cradled the object using both of his hands, attempting to conceal its identity as he walked back towards Lindsay's position with a genuine smile.

"For you, my lovely Schmetlockin," said Rolf has he dropped to his knees, outstretched his hands, and opened his palms to present the object to his "lover".

Lindsay was quite taken aback as she laid eyes on the gift Rolf had presented to her. Cradled in Rolf's palm was a hand-carved figurine made of balsa wood, around five inches tall. Even more shocking was the fact that the figurine was a perfectly-carved, miniature representation of Lindsay. The figure was perfect down to the last detail; each wave of her blonde hair was captured, as were her large golden earrings, and the small folds adorning her signature fur coat. It was obvious that Rolf was quite the skilled craftsman, and had spent a profound amount of time on his creation.

"Wow," said Lindsay as she placed her hand over her mouth, "You made this?"

"Rolf takes great pride in his skills as a wood widdler," said Rolf, "And with years of experience he has become quite well versed in the craft. Rolf offers his finest work, a culmination of a weeks worth of almost non-stop carving, as a token of his deep affections."

Lindsay took hold of Rolf's creation, holding it in her hands as she examined it with a melancholy expression. Her eyes began to water slightly as she refocused her eyes to Rolf, who remained on his knees, staring up towards Lindsay with a loving smile.

"You really like me, don't you?" asked Lindsay.

"Yes," said Rolf, "More than one can imaginably fathom."

Lindsay refocused her attention back to Rolf's gift, at which point she slowly made her way towards her bed. She sat down on it's edge, continuing to stare at the figure with sadness. Around two seconds passed, at which point a slight tear appeared in her eye.

Rolf took notice of Lindsay's apparent sadness, and decided to approach her.

"What's wrong my sweet Babushka?," said Rolf, "Do you not like?"

"No Rolf, it's not that." said Lindsay, "It's really amazing."

At that point, Lindsay turned her head upward locking her eyes with Rolf's.

"Rolf," said Lindsay, "Thank you so much for this, nobody has ever taken the time to do something like this for me. I just wanted to let you know in advance...that...I'm sorry..."

"Sorry?" asked Rolf, "Rolf does not understand."

Lindsay remained in a melancholy state for a few more seconds, after which she suddenly re-adopted her sultry grin; and rose back up to her feet.

"Sorry I didn't notice your collar is a little too high and needs to be adjusted," said Lindsay, "C'mon, let's get that off and get that fixed for you. There's no way you're gonna walk into a formal ball next to me in anything less than pristine condition."

As these events took place within the confines of Lindsay's bedroom, Jonny and Nazz remained at their post in the "Melon Tower", watching the situation unfold with utmost scrutiny. The blinds adorning Lindsay's bedroom window were currently closed, but were translucent enough to allow the light from within to shine through. Unfortunately, this had also allowed any shadows generated within to be projected onto the window as silhouettes

Due to the relative positions of the two adolescents in relation to Lindsay's lamp, Rolf's projection onto the closed blinds appeared short and stout, while Lindsay's remained unaltered. To the outside observer, it appeared as if Lindsay was removing an article of clothing off of Eddy, while simultaneously leaning in to deliver a passionate kiss.

Jonny pulled his eye away from the telescope, his jaw dropped out of disbelief. He slowly turned towards Nazz, who had lowered her binoculars in a similar fashion. Both teenagers glanced upon each other with a serious expression, at which point they shared a nod in agreement.


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

The following day at school seemed to come and go in a flash, an easy prospect considering the fact that school had dismissed three hours earlier than usual. To makes things even more exciting for the students, it was the Friday leading into a week and a half long winter recess; and the sound of the afternoon bell signified freedom from the confines of the classroom until January.

The early dismissal was unplanned, the decision being made by the principal the previous day, after Eddy's unfortunate, accidental release of Double Dee's cockroaches. As typical of many schools on the last day prior to winter vacation, many teacher opted out of traditional lessons, holding pizza parties, and showing Christmas movies in celebration of the upcoming holiday. This fact, along with the decision to close school early made Eddy something of a freshman class celebrity in the eyes of his peers, (with the exception of Double Dee of course). Lee, while quite upset regarding her extensive and uncontrollable fear of cockroaches being exposed, found playful humor in Eddy's status as the "cool guy".

The final period at Peach Creek High School was known as "options" period, which was akin to a study hall period. Adding to the already bloated excitement of the student body, the principal had declared all students excused from options period, allowing all to pursue their own interests in lieu of sitting silently in a classroom.

The sun was shining brightly on this day, and although the temperature was still quite chilly, May had decided to utilize her free option period to practice her pitching skills on the softball field. She was joined by her oldest sister Lee, who had promised to assist her as a stand in catcher the previous night.

The two girls were currently walking down the hallway, on their way back to their lockers. May had traded her usual dual ponytails for a single tight ponytail, as she usually did when participating in a sporting event. In her right hand, she carried a white softball, as she cradled a standard mitt in her left hand. Lee had removed the catchers vest and mask, and was carrying the equipment under her right arm as she walked, her heels clicking with each step on the schools tile floor.

"Well, that was fun!" said May with a smile as she dropped her supplies on the floor and began the process of opening the locker.

"Yeah, I gotta admit," said Lee, "It was good to get out on the field for a while. I haven't caught for ya in a couple of weeks."

"So," said May as she opened the locker, "How did I do?"

"Well let's see," said Lee as she tossed the catchers supplies onto the floor, and leaned her back against the locker next to Mays, "You put it right in my glove every time I moved it to a different spot, so I guess your accuracy is on par."

"Okay," said May.

"And judging by the fact that my palm feels like it's been run over by an eighteen wheeler," said Lee in a sarcastic manner, "I'd say all those hand jobs you've been given Ed had been good exercise for that old arm of yours!"

Lee laughed heavily at her own joke, as May's normally fair face turned to a bright shade of red. She adopted an angry scowl as she leaned around her locker door to reply to her sister.

"That was just one time!," said May rather embarrassed by Lee's statement, "I got power in my pitches cause I practice all the time. Either way, the most me and Ed do is kiss, and even if we did anything else so what!?"

"Whoah take it easy!" said Lee, "I don't give a shit what you guys do, it was just a joke Little Miss Innocent Church Girl!"

Lee giggled once again as May angrily shoved her mitt into her locker, a slight grimace adorning her face. A few seconds passed, at which point both girls emotions died down, and Lee decided to bring the conversation to a more serious tone.

"But seriously," said Lee, "You kicked ass as always. You're gonna have no problem making the high school team, especially with the reputation ya built in middle school."

May leaned around the locker, briefly sharing a smile with her sister, after which she began to force the catchers equipment into the already crowded space.

"Well I might be able to strike these girls out on the mound," said May, "But that means nothing if I can't bat. Stupid automatic pitching machine, I've had no time to practice. These girls in the high school are the real deal, and I gotta be ready for anything!"

"You'll be fine, no matter what" said Lee, "You're related to me after all, so you got nothing to worry about!"

Lee laughed as May continued to shove her softball paraphernalia into her locker. After few attempts to compress the material, May angled her shoulder towards the compartment and charged toward the junk pile as if she were a battering ram, successfully flattening the material enough to close the locker door.

"Either way," said May, "Thanks a lot for helping me practice today. You may be a Scrooge, but you do come through when I need you!"

May winked playfully in Lee's direction as the two girls began walking toward the school exit doors, causing Lee to roll her eyes.

"Whatever Bucky," said Lee, "Just be glad I didn't have anything better to do this afternoon."

"Well if you want," said May, "It ain't too late to come to the park with us to play frisbee, everyone's waiting back at the cul-de-sac if you want to join us!"

"I'll pass," said Lee, "I got more important things to work on this afternoon, like writing my acceptance speech for when I win the winter ball crown tomorrow night."

"Geez," said May, "You sure are spending a lot of time worrying about this whole winter ball thing, and you don't even like to get dressed up. Are you sure this is all worth it, I mean shouldn't you think about moving on from..."

"Mind your business," said Lee in a rather stern manner, interrupting her little sister. May silenced herself for a few seconds, after which she decided to reply.

"Okay," said May, " Just don't let it turn ya into a humbug for the holiday season. Ya got real friends now that like you, even though you'll never admit you like them too, not to mention a boyfriend who really likes you and is probably cooking up something really good for you as a Christmas present. You should remember that and focus on what's important."

"Real friends huh," said Lee under her breath as she glanced toward the opposite wall, "No one in this place understands me like she did."

"What's that?" asked May, at which point Lee suddenly turned towards her, attempting to hide her thoughts she had inadvertently advertised out loud.

"I said, you've been talking to Marie haven't ya?" asked Lee.

May remained silent as she continued to glance toward Lee.

"Look," said Lee, "I know youse two are all bent outta shape thinking I forgot about Eddy, and this whole "our first Christmas together" bullshit. I got it all figured out, I just know how to set my priorities. The best thing anyone can do right now is just stay outta my business and let me do my thing. Got it?"

"Whatever," said May, "Don't get pissy with me just cause you can't see Eddy again tonight."

"Ain't no skin off my nose," said Lee, as the girls passed the intersection to a cross hall, "I have no idea where my little munchkins been going, but if he thinks he's got me fooled, he's got another thing coming. He's just lucky I know it's for a good cause."

At that point, the sound of a familiar girlish voice filled the air from behind the girls.

"My oh my, just as full of ourself as always, aren't we?"

Lee stopped in her tracks, her face adopting a scowl as her entire body seemed to tense up. May instantly froze in place as well, however her face transformed to that of fear and distress, as she knew that nothing good would come out of the catty exchange that was about to occur.

Both girls turned around, and came face to face with the familiar tall, thin frame of Lindsay Statorowski. The blonde girl displayed a conniving grin, as she leaned against the row of silver lockers lining the wall of the cross hall. She stood with her right leg crossed over her left, such that the brown, high heeled leather boot adorning her left foot was planted solidly on the floor, while the right was only making contact with the floor via the pointed toe. Her arms were folded, the sleeves of her slightly oversized signature fur coat laying over her hands, currently bundled up in a pair of blue designer gloves. Her ever so present purple handbag hung from her right shoulder, cradled at the level of her hip.

May watched as Lee slowly made her way towards Lindsay with a sly grin of her own.

"Well, well Little Miss Prissy Face," said Lee, "I haven't since ya since I kicked your ass in the school talent show. What's wrong, come to finally congratulate me?"

"Hardly," said Lindsay, "Any idiot can win a contest by flailing their arms around on stage and de-masculanating their boyfriend. News flash, the real competition is tomorrow night and this one is going to be all about looks and fashion, something you don't seem to understand."

"Says the girl with the same hairstyle she's had since kindergarten." said Lee, "You do realize the eighties were over before you were even born, don't ya? With the big hair, and those tacky bangs, I don't know if you're just behind the times, or trying to imitate that bratty bimbo from that mystery cartoon all the kids love."

"Hun please, she has nothing on me," said Lindsay, "Don't be jealous that KiltedEngineer put more effort into designing me than he did re-designing you. You're just a knockoff of some old guys work, I'm made from scratch!"

There was a slight pause, at which point all three girls appeared to adopt expressions of confusion. After a few seconds, Lee regained her composure and decided to retort.

"And by the way brainiac," said Lee, "The correct term is 'emasculate'. At least get the properly terminology before you insult my boyfriend for perfecting a difficult skill in record time. It's obvious that you don't know what it's like to have a man that really likes ya. Have you even ever had a steady boyfriend, or do the guys all leave once they realize whats really behind the pretty face?"

Lindsay snickered upon the completion of Lee's statement.

"Interesting that you mention boyfriend problems Geek Girl," said Lindsay as she placed both her feet on the ground and proceeded to walk towards Lee, "If I recall, yours hasn't been around much lately, has he? Even worse, you have no idea where he's been going every night. Sounds like it's you that has the boyfriend problem."

Lindsay leaned close into Lee's face with a sly grin.

"Doesn't it? asked Lindsay in a sarcastic manner.

"So what if he hasn't been around?"asked Lee, "It ain't none of your business what goes on in our relationship anyway, so why don't ya take your bullshit and piss off. The dance is tomorrow night, with the amount of makeup ya gotta put on, ya better start now if ya wanna be ready!"

Lee giggled sarcastically at her own joke, after which Lindsay began unzipping her handbag.

"Oh trust me," said Lindsay, "I believe in this case, your relationship problems are in fact my business. I figured that I'd at least be as civil as I can to a barbarian like you, and be the first to let you know that you're looking at the brand spanking new arm candy for Eddy McGee."

"Lindsay, get your head out your ass," said Lee, "Like Eddy would ever want to be with you, he doesn't even want to be in the same room as you."

"Don't be so sure," said Lindsay, "One of my friends happened to play a little prank on me yesterday afternoon at the mall. Where did you say Eddy was last night?"

"I don't know," said Lee, appearing slightly less confident in herself, "But he most certainly wasn't with you."

"Sorry I have to do this," said Lindsay as she shuffled though the contents of her handbag, "But here's some photographic evidence concerning the whereabouts of your boyfriend."

At that point, Lindsay removed a photograph from her handbag and held it out to Lee for viewing. Lee rolled her eyes, and snatched the photograph out of Lindsay's hand, repositioning it for adequate lighting and adjusting her glasses with her opposite hand for focus.

As May watched with outmost concern, biting her lower lip with her occluded top teeth, Lee's face transformed into a neutral expression. On the photograph was a close up of Lindsay, viewed such that only her upper torso and higher were visible. The picture depicted her leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, appearing to be sighing as she held her head up high. Her immense source of pleasure seemed to due to the fact that the area near her left jugular vein was being kissed by Eddy, whom she wrapped her arms around, digging her pink fingernails into the area of his hair.

In fact, Lindsay had used her tremendous sewing and crafting skills to create a life-sized dummy of the small Ed boy, complete with his easy to replicate hair line. Years of being forced into modeling had also taught her how to use lighting to her advantage in order to hide imperfections, and to generate false facsimiles. She had taken the dummy to the mall, dressed it in a replica of Eddy's winter sweater, and found her way into one of the girls bathroom stalls, where she could use the minimal and dull lighting to her advantage. To have the picture taken, she had requested the presence of one of her cheer squad minions at the mall. The girl, deathly afraid of the giant diva, easily complied and agreed to take the picture for Lindsay, the condition of course being that the girl said nothing to anybody about the situation, and "beat it" directly after the flash.

"Like what ya see?," asked Lindsay, "Looks like ya don't know Eddy as much as you thought after all."

Lee remained silent, as May began to display in ever increasing nervousness.

"Here," said Lindsay as she reached into her bag once again, "If the pictures too much for you to handle, perhaps a nice little momento given to me last night will cheer you up!"

At that point, Lindsay reached back into her hand bag and removed a colorful pair of men's underwear. She took the article of clothing in both her hands, stretching it out in front of her in an effort to mockingly display it to Lee. The garment was colored orange and peppered with several spots, characteristic of leopard skin; the same underwear that the Kankers had happened to discover during their raid of Eddy's room while on "holiday" two summers ago. Lindsay plan to use Rolf's naivety had come to fruition; after a successful fit up of his winter ball tuxedo, the boy discreetly raided Eddy's room and had located the most colorful pair of underwear he owned for presentation to Lindsay.

Lindsay watched as Lee stared at the underwear, remaining silent as her face displayed a neutral expression. As the blonde girl observed the bespectacled red head process the objects she had presented, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her former best friend. She had no true intentions to make the situation any uglier; the stunt was merely meant to frazzle Lee, and potentially throw off her game for the next few days, allowing her to claim the winter ball crown. However, imagining the repercussions she would face at the hands of Edyta if she did not win the prize seemed to instill a deep fear within the conflicted girl. Given the situation she was presented with, the benefits of exacerbating her conflict with Lee outweighed any potential risks associated with failure.

A few seconds passed, after which Lee discretely glanced upward toward an extremely frightened May. In an instant, Lee delivered a subtle wink to her little sister, a display that confused the pony-tailed Kanker girl. Lee's face suddenly turned a bright shade of red as she began furiously grinding her teeth.

"That conniving Little Shit!" yelled Lee at the top of her lungs, her voice seeming to emit a shock wave that traveled down the hallway, blowing both other girls hair back as if they were in a wind tunnel, "I can't believe he even had the balls to go behind my back and cheat on me, especially with some walking dumb blonde bimbo. spoiled rich girl stereotype!"

"Harsh," said Lindsay under her breath as if to comment on Lee's previous statement.

Lee glanced back down towards the photograph, remaining apparently infuriated as she squeezed it in her hand.

"There's one thing I know," said Lee, "Nobody makes a fool out of Annalee Kanker. I'll fix him good, he's gonna wish he kept his pecker in his pants, cause when I get through with him he ain't gonna have it anymore!"

At that point, Lee ripped the leopard skin underwear out of Lindsay's hands, and angrily shoved the article of clothing into her hand bag. She turned away from Lindsay and began stomping down the hallway in an apparent rage, marching toward the exit door as the heels of her boots placed new cracks in the tile floor with every step, causing miniature earthquakes in a cartoonish fashion.

May promptly gave chase to her older sister, jogging down the hallway in an effort to catch up to her. Upon reaching the exit, Lee slammed the doors open with force, an action which seemed to cause the entire building to shake, and disappeared out into the cold winter air.

Lindsay remained in her position for a few moments, observing the spring loaded closing mechanism slowly bring the door to the shut and latched position. She appeared to be deep in thought, her eyes quite glassy and conveying an overall appearance of sadness. After spending a few moments pondering the situation she had just created, she placed the strap of her hand bag over her shoulder and began making her way down the hallway towards the school exit, intent on following the girls.

Outside on the sidewalk, May had finally caught up to Lee and was preparing to take action in an attempt to calm the apparently infuriated girl down; a feat which she knew to be no easy task given past experience.

"Lee," said May as she ran up to Lee's side, "You don't really believe Eddy's cheating on you with Lindsay do you? Maybe you should think about this before you go ahead and yell at him."

May was quite surprised when Lee suddenly stopped and turned toward her with a sly grin, apparently heeding her advice. The redhead giggled slightly, as she began to explain herself.

"What do ya think I'm an idiot?" said Lee, "Of course I know Eddy ain't cheating on me."

May remained silent for a few moments, confused at the chain of events that just occurred, at which point Lee retrieved the scandalous photograph and held it out for May to see.

"She must think I'm brain dead if she expects me to believe this," said Lee, "One, I know the broad's an expert at sewing, and considering I've done a significant amount of sewing myself I can tell that that sweater is a mock up. Two, that shitty canvas she used is about two skin tones lighter than Eddy's, and there's one hair too many on his head. Three, I know from working in the store that Eddy was blacklisted, and banned from the mall for some idiotic stunt he pulled. And four, being an "Amazon woman" myself, I am aware that me and Lindsay are around the same height give or take. Given my experience gettin' lovey dovey with the little man, he can barely reach my tits with the top of his head without tippy toeing, let alone put a hickey on my neck. She obviously didn't do her research. As for the underwear, everybody and their mother knows Eddy wear leopard skin undies after he lost that bet with Marie's friends fool of a man, and had to model them in front of the schoolyard last month. Men are such morons sometimes...Anyway, she evidently bought a pair to try to get me riled up."

"Okay," said May, " But if you knew, then why'd you act all mad and stuff back there?"

"Look," said Lee, "This is obviously some lame attempt to either get me to back out of running for the winter ball queen, or to get me all spun up so I'm off my game on the night of the dance. Now that obviously ain't gonna happen, but that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun."

May continued to appear confused as Lee placed her hand on her shoulder.

"I'm gonna pull out a little bit of that reverse psychology junk and play into her game," said Lee, "We'll see who gets the last laugh."

Lee then removed the pair of underwear from her handbag, holding them up on display along with the photograph.

"On the flip side, I think I'm gonna play a little practical joke on Eddy as payback for the cockroach incident," said Lee, "I'll question him about these and where he's been goin' every night when we get back to the cul-de-sac, and watch the cute little nervous nellie squirm for a while. The little man cracks quick under pressure, and I guarantee he'll stumble over his words like an idiot and finally admit that he's hunting for my present."

"I don't know Lee," said May, "Are you sure that's a good idea."

"Trust me," said Lee, "I know both those two like a book, and messing with their heads is cake. The only difference is I lo...care for Eddy, while I could care less if Lanky Lori fell off the face of the earth."

Lee turned and began walking back towards the cul-de-sac.

"C'mon Big Butt," said Lee, "I ain't got all day, and I got an acceptance speech to write."

May remained still for a fe moments, after which she proceeded to follow in Lee's lead, all the while appearing quite concerned regarding Lee's plan.


	58. Chapter 58

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello Everyone!_

 _Just wanted to take the time to thank all of you for sticking by me through this endeavor. I am really enjoying the way this is turning out, and the positive words received from all of you are most appreciated._

 _This chapter was quite the monster to write. As an FYI, I have split this chapter from the next due to length. The next chapter is a little more than three quarters of the way written, and should be up relatively soon._

 _Without further ado, let's continue Miracles and Mistletoes, shall we?_

 **Chapter 58**

Back at the cul-de-sac, the core group of Rethink Avenue friends had gathered near the end of the street in preparation for their game of frisbee at the park. As they awaited the return of Lee and May, Double Dee and Marie had taken their place sitting on the curb in front of the Kankers house, watching Kevin, Ed and Eddy pass the frisbee back and forth in the middle of the street as they held hands.

The afternoon was a beautiful one; the sun was shining brightly and the temperatures had risen to the mid-fifties, about as great as the weather could get during the winter months and perfect for an outdoor excursion. As Double Dee observed a few clouds pass in front of the sun overhead, he decided to begin a conversation with Marie.

"What a beautiful day," said Double Dee, "I must say, the sight of our favorite G class star juxtaposed with those cumulus formations is quite inspiring."

"It sure is," said Marie, "The sky is one of the first things I ever learned how to paint with water colors, and it holds a special place in my heart."

Marie took her eyes off of the sky, and turned her attention towards Eddy, who was currently tossing the frisbee to Kevin.

"It's great to see Eddy joining us for a game, even if it is for only an hour," said Marie, "Lee won't admit it, but I think she really misses seeing Eddy. Maybe him being here will convince her to stop worrying about this winter ball and get out of the house for a change."

"Perhaps," said Double Dee, " I would be delighted to see everyone gathered together, whilst making wonderful memories. As much as I appreciate academia, I must admit that the prospect of winter recess is quite welcoming, as it will allow me to adequately rest my proverbial mental muscle and fully enjoy the joys of the holiday season."

"My thoughts exactly," said Marie, "I'm surprised Nazz isn't here yet, she's usually into anything to do with aerobic exercise. I guess with Julia being home and all, they decided to spend some time together before her next semester starts."

"While do wholeheartedly wish that Nazz could join us," said Double Dee, "I applaud her willingness to spend time with her sister around the holidays. Regardless, with the participation of all currently present in the cul-de-sac, May, Lee, and Rolf, we will be able to have even teams of four."

"Double Dee!" said Marie in a surprised manner, "You're going to play a sport with us?"

Double Dee sighed.

"Yes Marie," said Double Dee, "I have reluctantly decided to participate. I most definitely do not have anywhere near the talent displayed by Kevin and May when it comes to sports, but I believe that I can at least partake in the inevitable fun."

"Of course you can," said Marie, " I suck at sports, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying them. It's all about having fun with friends."

Double Dee and Marie shared a brief smile, at which point Double Dee noticed a shadow being cast over him from behind. The ski-capped boy promptly turned to determine the source of the solar occlusion, and upon glancing upward came face-to-face with his foreign friend Rolf. The boy seemed quite complacent, smiling happily as he proceeded to take a seat on the curb next to Double Dee, twirling his thumbs on his knees as he admired the scenery.

"Greetings Rolf," said Double Dee, "You seem quite the exuberant fellow today. I suppose you are just as excited for the start of winter recess as the remainder of the town?"

"Hoho," said Rolf, " For once you are wrong head-full-of-brains Ed boy, for Rolf's knickers are loose for something much better."

"Pardon my questioning, but would you care to share?" asked Double Dee.

"Not at all Ed boy," said Rolf, "Rolf is pleased to announce that he has taken part in what your culture would refer to as a first date."

"A first date?" asked Double Dee, "Rolf, I had no idea that you were courting a female companion. Well, other than Lindsay of course, but we all know how tha..."

"Wrong again Ed boy," said Rolf, interrupting Double Dee's response, "For Rolf has successfully completed the courting phase and has taken the Sweet Lindsay girl as his lover."

Double Dee glanced back towards Marie, both teenagers sharing an expression of confusion, after which Double Dee turned back towards his eccentric friend.

"A date?," asked Double Dee, "With Lindsay?"

"Yes!" yelled Rolf as he stood up off of the curb, simultaneously elevating the volume of his voice for all to hear, "Let it be known that Rolf has found love, in the form of a beautiful golden haired angel. With a simple demonstration of Rolf's affections, his sweet Babushka has declared her deepest affections for this son-of-a-Shepard, consumated with a great feast, and an invitation to your hoe down hootinanny set to take place on the eve of tommorow."

Rolf's outpour of joy managed to capture the attention of the entire block. Ed, Eddy, and Kevin had paused their frisbee toss, and had all turned their heads in Rolf's direction whilst sharing perplexed expressions. Adjacent to Rolf, Double Dee and Marie remained confused as well, with Double Dee pondering Rolf's words rather carefully.

"Dinner and an invite to the dance?" asked Double Dee, as he leaned towards Marie's ear, "You don't think Lindsay would actually accept Rolf's advances do you?"

"Nah," said Marie, "That stuck up bimbo would never even step foot near him. He's probably just a little delusional from seeing her earlier today. He has been known to tell crazy stories, hasn't he?"

"That is a true statement," said Double Dee, "Rolf does have a tendency to tell bizarre and rather outrageous stories. However, while it may seem farfetched, I have a strange intuition that something is about to go wrong."

"Calm down sweetie," said Marie, "Everything's perfectly fine, Rolf's acting no more weird than he usually does! Keep positive with that attitude you had last night at the parade, and no more worrying, k'?"

Marie leaned in, delivering Double Dee a kiss on the cheek, at which point the sound of her cell phone receiving a text message filled the air. She removed her phone, and began to read the text, as a sly grin appeared on her face; the message was in fact from May, warning her of the forthcoming prank, and to be sure to play along with it. As Marie responded to her sister in silence, Double Dee continued to stare in the direction of his house with an expression of concern.

Out in the street, the three boys decided to resume their frisbee toss, as Eddy opened up a new conversation.

"Man, Rolfie Boy's still tryin' to get a piece of that pie," said Eddy, "I gotta hand it to him, he's got the grit."

"Tell me about it," said Kevin, "He came barging in to my room last night while I was working out, asking to borrow my cologne and a dress shirt, I guess to try to impress that Lindsay girl. I'm tired of hearing about her man, I got Nazz telling me how much she hates her over and over again, and now I got Rolf telling me how much he loves her. It makes me sick."

"Quit acting like you got it bad Shovel Chin," said Eddy, "My girl's the one on the front lines with the spoiled brat. I wish Lee would just punch her upside the head like she would anyone else and be done with it. Lord only knows what the hells holding her back."

Eddy turned, and flicked the frisbee in the direction of Kevin, who made the jumping catch with no problem.

"The good news is the winter ball's tomorrow," said Eddy, "I'll do my best to help Lee win, and then hopefully she can stop thinking about Lindsay and just enjoy Christmas. I worry about her sometimes when it comes to this big cat fight."

"Yeah," said Kevin, "Hopefully you picked up something good for her for Christmas. That should take her mind off of this."

"Trust me," said Eddy with a sly grin, "I've been working on something special alright. It's gonna win us the winter ball, and most importantly make Lee happy. Let's just say that after tonight, Eddy McGee will be on Easy Street."

At the conclusion of Eddy's statement, a large shock wave seemed to resonate down Rethink Avenue towards his position. The shock wave carried a deep, city accented female voice; a particular tough talking accent that Eddy had not heard in over six months, and one that he had learned to fear.

"Eddy McGee!" yelled Lee, "Your mistress wants to have a little chat with ya!"

Eddy, receiving the full brunt of the shock wave, remained standing in the center of the street. Due to the blast coming from behind him, his three hairs had been blown over his head, and were currently resting over his eyes. As Kevin and Ed backed away from his position, trembling in fear, Eddy slowly but surely turned around toward the inlet of the street, a nervous expression adorning his face.

As he turned, he came face to face with Lee, standing in the center of the street with her fists clenched to her sides. Her face was a bright shade of red, and she was grinding her teeth ferociously. As she locked eyes with Eddy, she began marching down the street, the pointed tips of her heels emanating a solid click with every step.

In a flash Lee had made her way to Eddy's position, and seized the small Ed boy by the collar of his shirt. In a state of panic, Eddy began to speak.

"H...hey..Lee," said Eddy as sweat began pouring down his face, "What's up, did I do something wrong?"

"Can it shrimp!" yelled Lee, "Don't play dumb, I know what you've been doing behind my back for the last couple weeks and let me tell you, I ain't gonna go for it one bit!"

As the false confrontation unfolded in front of the crowd, May had discretely made her way over towards Marie's position, the two girls sharing giggles. Ed, upon spotting his Little May, decided to slowly mosey toward the end of the street to greet her. His distress regarding the situation quickly disappeared as May whispered the plan into his ear, causing to emit a dopey giggle.

Unbeknownst to the denizens of the cul-de-sac, Lindsay had discreetly followed the two girls home. She took great care not to be noticed, choosing to hide behind the wooden fence separating the Kankers yard from the curb of the cross street. She peered her head around, observing and listening to the events unfold with a melancholy stare.

Back in the center of the street, Eddy finally decided to reply.

"Lee, I don't understand," asked Eddy, "Is this over the cockroaches?"

Lee leaned into Eddy's face with an angry scowl.

"The only cockroach around here is you lover boy," said Lee as she reached into her handbag, "Do these look familiar to you!?"

At that point Lee pulled out Eddy's leopard skin undies, brandishing them for Eddy to see.

"What the hell!?" yelled Eddy as he grabbed the underwear off of Lee, and proceeded to shove them into his pocket. He leaned towards Lee, lowering his voice as his face turned red with embarrassment, "What are ya trying to do, embarrass me all over again just like last fall?"

"As a matter of fact I am!" yelled Lee, "Just like you embarrassed me by doing this!"

Lee removed the doctored photograph provided by Lindsay earlier that afternoon, and proceeded to shove it into Eddy's face. Eddy took hold of the photograph with both of his hands, at which point the boy entered a state of distress.

"Aaaah," yelled Eddy, "What the hell is this?"

"Let's see," said Lee, "It looks like you being caught red-handed banging Lindsay Statorowski against the wall of a toilet stall!"

"You gotta be kiddin me!" yelled Eddy, "This ain't me, there's no way it could be me!"

"They say a picture's worth a thousand words," said Lee, "Is this what you've been doing every night when you say you can't hang out with us?"

Eddy remained silent for a few moments, his face red with fright as he struggled to hold in his thoughts. At that point, Double Dee, oblivious to the fact that a prank was in execution, decided to interject.

"Now wait just a minute Lee," said Double Dee, "I can confirm that Ed..."

Double Dee was suddenly silenced by Marie, who had placed her right hand over his mouth. She promptly grabbed Double Dee's shoulder with her opposite hand, turning him toward her.

"Don't worry" said Marie, "It's a joke. Lee knows what she's doing, and she ain't gonna keep it up for too much longer. Just a little pay back for what happened in the cafeteria yesterday!"

Double stared at Marie for a few seconds, after which he sighed and turned back towards the action.

Lee continued to request an answer from Eddy regarding the apparent "affair". She could hardly resist cracking up as she watched Eddy sputter, attempting to come up with a response.

"No, I...um," said Eddy as beads of sweat ran down his face.

Suddenly, the shrill voice of Rolf rang through air.

"Ed Boy!" yelled Rolf as he began walking towards Eddy, lifting the sleeves of his shirt to expose his relatively defined biceps, "What is this tomfoolery? Do you betray Rolf by betroving yourself to Rolf's sweet Babushka? Rolf's honor has been shamed, and you, snake in the grass Ed boy must pay! Another duel I say!"

Lee chuckled slightly under her breath as she observed Rolf make his way towards Eddy. The sight of Rolf charging across the cul-de-sac, angry at the misunderstanding resulting from her practical joke, made her realize that enough was enough. The slim redhead, while mischievous, had no intention of driving a wedge between friends, nor herself and Eddy.

However, just as Lee was about to restrain Rolf and tell Eddy the truth, the sound of yet another high pitched voice filled the air, seeming to come from above.

"Don't worry yourself citizen Lee!" yelled the voice of Jonny, "The Melon Squad has your back, and is ready to expose the truth as to what citizen Eddy has really been doing."

At that point Jonny, dressed as Captain Melonhead swung downward from the apple tree located in Double Dee's yard, using a rope attached to one of the higher branches. Likewise, with perfect synchronization, Nazz (dressed as Harlequin Honeydew), jumped from her position standing on one of the branches of the walnut tree planted in the Kankers yard, and swung downward toward the middle of the street. The two "superheroes" dismounted their ropes simultaneously, and stuck their landings, with Jonny standing with his hands on his hips and chest puffed out as many superheroes did, and Nazz standing with her arms folded, and her hips relaxed to the right.

The entire cul-de-sac was quite surprised at the display. While, the kids had grown quite accustomed to Jonny's alter-ego as Captain Melonhead, the neighborhood was quite shocked to see the new female addition to the crime fighting team.

As the two remained locked their poses, Double Dee decided to comment on the situation.

"My word," said Double Dee, "Is that Nazz?"

"It is..." said Marie, "What the hell is she doing?"

Double Dee and Marie weren't the only individuals surprised to see Nazz. From his position standing near the large tree, Kevin emitted an exaggerated laugh while holding his stomach, and pointing in Nazz's direction with his opposite hand.

"Nice costume Nazz!," said Kevin in a playful manner, "Didn't realize you joined the dork parade!"

Kevin continued laughing as Nazz's face turned slightly red with embarrassment, due to forgetting that she was dressed as Harlequin Honeydew in front of the entire neighborhood. At the same time, she appeared slightly irritated due to the irony of the fact that the whole point of her agreeing to be Jonny's sidekick was to protect Kevin's Christmas surprise. Nevertheless, she shook off her feelings, and returned to the task at hand.

In the center of the street, Lee had turned her head around to face the duo, her right hand continuing to grip the extremely nervous Eddy' s collar as she stared at the pair with an expression of confusion.

"What the hell are youse two supposed to be?" asked Lee in a sarcastic manner.

"I suppose introductions are in order," said Jonny as he struck a new pose, "I am truth, I am honor, I am..."

Slightly embarrassed by Jonny's antics, Nazz silenced him in a stern and serious manner.

"Not important," said Nazz as she began walking towards Lee, "What is important is that you know what's really been going on with your so-called boyfriend."

Lee slowly lowered Eddy to the ground, relieving pressure from his collar and allowing the stout boy to catch his breath. She turned toward Nazz with a sarcastic stare.

"Look," said Lee, "I don't know what the hell kind of idiotic game you guys are playin', but before you two fruit loops blow a gasket, let me make one thing clear. I know Eddy ain't doin' nothing behind my back, this is all just a little bit of playful payback..."

Lee was unable to complete her sentence, as she was interrupted by Jonny who had jumped in front of Nazz to convey his own point.

"I regret to inform you that you are wrong citizen Lee," said Jonny, "Over the last week, Harlequin Honeydew and I have been observing Mr. McGee, and have compiled substantial evidence of his affair with Ms. Statorowski. Please allow Splinter to present the evidence."

At that point, Jonny brandished the suction cup end of a toilet plunger in the direction of Lee. The melon-headed boy had taped Plank to the business end of the plunger, and had dressed him in his "Splinter the Wonderwood" costume. However, in addition to donning his typical superhero attire, Plank had also been adorned with several photographs, strategically taped to his wooden body in the manner of a collage.

Lindsay continued to observe the events from afar, peeking around the fence with a neutral expression as Lee observed the photographs mounted on Plank. Almost instantly, Lee's emotional state transformed from that of a calm, collected individual to one that seemed to convey true distress. The photographs depicted almost every action taken by Eddy during the time he was "assisting" Rolf with courting Lindsay, including but not limited to his delivery of the note to Lindsay's window via dart gun, and the delivery of several other notes and presents to Lindsay's cheer locker.

"We also have this!" said Nazz as she held a piece of paper out to Lee, "Here's one of the notes the jerk wrote to Lindsay behind your back. I found it on the floor next to her locker, guess he forgot to tape it up right?"

The remainder of the cul-de-sac watched in silence as Lee removed the photographs one-by-one, examining them in her hands while simultaneously glancing over the letter provided by Nazz. A few seconds was all it took for Lee to recognize Eddy's characteristic handwriting, at which point she turned back towards her stout boyfriend.

"This was originally intended to be a prank," said Lee in a calm, yet agitated voice. She then held the letter up to Eddy's face while displaying a sarcastic smile, "But now, it looks like we actually have something to talk about."


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59**

Following her statement, Lee casually tossed the letter and the photographs over her shoulder. She then placed her hand on her hip, cocked her head to the right and leaned downward towards Eddy.

"Does this have something to do with why you were late to dinner after the talent show?" asked Lee, "And why you didn't want to stay for dinner after our last practice? I knew something was up when you turned down a blowjob."

Eddy said absolutely nothing; the small Ed boys continued to appear quite nervous, as sweat began pouring down his face at a rate comparable to Niagra Falls. He swallowed heavily, continuing to stare into Lee's eyes as he contemplated is eventual explanation. As Eddy struggled to get words out, Marie and May looked upon the situation with nervous expressions, preparing themselves for the inevitable chaos.

After what seemed like an eternity, Rolf decided to chime in yet again.

"Ed Boy!" yelled Rolf, "Not only have you shamed Rolf by capturing Rolf's sweet Babushka in your gretchens of affection, but you have also lied to Rolf! Those tokens of affection were meant to be from Rolf, were they not!"

"Okay, now I'm really confused," said Lee as she looked back down towards Eddy with distress, "Can somebody tell me what the fuck is going on here!?"

"Yeah Eddy!" yelled Nazz as she stepped forward towards the small Ed boy, "Why don't you tell Lee what you've been doing!? I can't believe you'd be such a jerk, especially to someone who cares so much about you. It like, makes me so sick you know!"

At the completion of Nazz's statement, Jonny jumped in, continuing the "interrogation" initiated by Nazz.

"In the name of justice," said Jonny, "We order you to come clean regarding your misdeeds, and admit your wrongdoings to citizen Lee!"

As Eddy continued to be interrogated by Lee, Jonny and Nazz, the short boy's stress level began to climb. Unfortunately, the combination of being stressed by Lee's constant nagging concerning Lindsay, worrying about what he could procure as Lee' Christmas present, trying to hide his plan to get rid of Lindsay, and worrying about whether or not Lee cared just as much about him as he did her, drove the boy to his breaking point. As his face turned red with anger, he decided to finally reply, using his typical obnoxious, gritty voice.

"Shut up both of ya!" yelled Eddy in the direction of Jonny and Nazz, after which he turned towards Lee, "Alright, you want the truth here it is. I'm sick of hearing about all of this bullshit about Lindsay, and I'm sick of being dragged into everybody else's problems. I saw how much of a pain in the ass she was, and nobody was doing anything about it so I decided to take matters into my own hands!"

Eddy pointed towards Rolf.

"I took advantage of the fact that he liked Lindsay, and she hated him!" said Eddy, "I did everything in my power to try to use his weirdo customs to drive her away. I wrote fake notes, made fake gifts, and made him believe that she actually would go out with him. I wasn't cheating on anybody, I had to do something, she was ruining everybody's life!"

At that moment, the cul-de-sac fell into complete silence. Back near the Kankers house, May bit her bottom lip out of nervousness, as Marie slapped her hand to her forehead in frustration.

Upon hearing the truth regarding Eddy's matchmaking plan, Rolf's anger (due to the fact that he had thought Eddy was in fact in a relationship with Lindsay) had disappeared. Instead, the tall boy appeared completely distraught; his menacing glare had transformed into a frown, as his eyes began to appear glassy.

"The twiddling of affections between Rolf and his Sweet Babushka were lies?" asked Rolf, "Rolf refuses to believe!"

Perhaps the most upset individual of all was Lee, who had also developed a melancholy expression; there was no doubt that she was truly hurt over the ordeal. Nevertheless, she attempted to maintain her stoic face, as her eyes began to tear up from behind her glasses.

"So," said Lee, "You went behind my back! I told ya I had it taken care of, and you still decided to get involved!"

"What was I supposed to do!" yelled Eddy, "She's ruining my life! Because of her, I'm being forced into going to this stupid winter ball, not to mention having my money taken away! Then I have to practice fairy dancing for a week, and go up on stage in front of everyone to be laughed at like some sideshow attraction! I've been nothing but miserable for the past two weeks!"

At that point, Lee could no longer contain the tear beginning to form in her right eye. She promptly reached up underneath her glasses, taking care to remove it before it became visible while unfortunately smearing her eye liner in the process.

"I wanted to do something together as a couple!" yelled Lee in an emotional tone, her voice wavering slightly, "You were miserable? I thought we were having fun! You don't care about my feelings at all, you only care about yourself!"

"I only care about myself!?" yelled Eddy, "What about you!? You didn't even want to hear my thoughts on any of this, you just kept demanding more and more and more!"

The entire cul-de-sad watched in silence as the argument between the red-headed Kanker sister and the stout Ed Boy escalated exponentially. Within five minutes, the peace and calm of the sunny afternoon had disappeared, replaced by complete chaos. As the two teenagers continued to argue, Marie and May continued to oversee nervously, neither girl moving a muscle while appearing to have been stricken with rigor mortis. Double Dee and Ed expressed the same concern; the two boys shared a mutual love for the holiday season, and knew that all of this fighting would no doubt shatter the spirit within their group of friends.

As Lindsay observed the nasty exchange of words between her ex-best friend and her boyfriend, the blonde girl slowly pulled her head back around the corner. She took a position leaning on the wooden fence, still within listening range, and adopted an expression of distress. A few seconds passed, at which point she lifted her hand and placed it over her mouth as a slight tear began running down the length of her face. While she had known that her stunt could potentially cause friction in Lee's relationship, seeing Lee upset firsthand seemed to strike an emotional nerve within the girl.

"You don't understand!" yelled Lee in an emotional tone, surprising Eddy slightly, "You never even tried to understand the situation."

"Oh I understand!" said Eddy, "Understand that I'm tired of being forced to do things against my will, I'm tired of your constant nagging, and most of all, I'm tired of hearing about that no good bimbo Lindsay Statorowski. Ever since she moved here there's been nothing but trouble, and I feel like her name's the only thing I heard come out of your mouth."

Eddy lifted his hands up to his eyes and acted as if he was crying.

"Boo Hoo," said Eddy, "I was picked on all my life too, but you don't hear me constantly talking about it do ya!? Well guess what I'm done dealing with your problems."

Eddy took a deep breath, at which point he delivered one final statement in a loud, booming voice; a voice not heard since he quelled the Kankers attack on Double Dee after his infamous fist fight with Jimmy.

"DO YOURSELF A DAMN FAVOR AND GET OVER IT, OR WE'RE OVER!"

Roughly five seconds of silence followed Eddy's statement, although it seemed as if it were an eternity. During this time, Lee stood as still as a statue, staring into Eddy's angry face with a neutral expression. Eventually her bottom lip began to tremble, as tears began to run down her face uncontrollably. The proud, stoic girl quickly shielded her face to avoid being seen expressing emotion, turned away from Eddy, and ran as fast as she could across the street toward her house. Upon reaching the front door, she struggled for a few seconds to remove the house keys from her pocket. Once removed, she attempted to insert the key into the door, a task made difficult by the fact that her hands were shaking due to her emotional state. She was eventually able to open the door, after which she disappeared into the house; but not before slamming the door shut.

No sooner than the door handle latched, Marie began making her way towards Eddy; stomping angrily as an intense scowl appeared on her face. Upon reaching the stout Ed boy, she grabbed his collar with both of her hands.

"You little jerk!" yelled Marie, "Who do you think you are telling her to get over it huh!? You have no idea what she's been through!"

"Get the hell off of me!" yelled Eddy as he swatted Marie's hands away, "You have no idea what _I've_ been through, and our relationship's none of your business anyway!"

As Eddy and Marie initiated a brand new argument, Rolf began to slowly back away from the action. The tall foreign boy was quite upset that he was possibly deceived, not only by Eddy, but by Lindsay as well. In complete denial of the situation, he decided to take action to find out the truth.

"Rolf's heart aches from all of these lies!" said Rolf in a melodramatic manner, "Rolf must go see his Sweet Babushka and ensure that all is fine with our relationship!"

As the argument between Eddy and Marie continued, Rolf began to run towards the end of the street, intent on making his way to Lindsay's house in an effort to confirm that their relationship was genuine. Lindsay, upon hearing Rolf's approach, emitted a slight gasp and began running as fast as she could down the cross street towards Haventhought Way.

Unfortunately, speed running was easier said than done for Lindsay for multiple reasons. The combination of low endurance, due to rarely progressing over anything but a brisk walk, and her high heeled boots seemed to make the simple task a chore; in addition, with each step, Lindsay's face appeared to grimace as if she were experiencing pain in the joints of her legs.

The lanky debutante had barely made ten steps toward the end of the street, by which time Rolf had made his way around the corner and spotted her.

"My Beautiful Schmetlockin!" yelled Rolf enthusiastically as he jogged in an effort to catch up to Lindsay.

Lindsay stopped running and planted both of her feet flat on the ground, putting an end to her futile escape attempt. She remained still, her right hand wrapped around her rib as she lifted her left up towards her mouth; her eyes were wide and glassy, and she appeared to be deep in thought.

"Lidsy," said Rolf as he approached Lindsay from behind, "Rolf has been deceived by the snake-in-the-grass Ed boy and is confused regarding our relationship. Rolf and his sweet Babushka are tied in the locks of affections in truth, yes?"

Lindsay paused for a few moments, thoughts racing through her head at a rapid pace as she pondered the situation she was faced with. She eventually decided to reply.

"Not right now Rolf," said Lindsay, refusing to turn around to face the boy, "I need some time to think."

At that moment, Lindsay began walking away from Rolf's position at a rapid pace. Unsatisfied with the answer provided, Rolf decided to give chase.

"Lidsy, must you not hear Rolf's words!?" asked Rolf as he followed the tall girl, "You appear to be upset, please allow Rolf to walk you back to your residence and console you in the arms of this son of a shepherd. Rolf recalls that we must also obtain flowers for our trek to the holiday hootinanny set to take place tomorrow no?"

Lindsay continued on her way, pretending not to hear Rolf's words, as the boy continued to follow her.

"Lidsy!" yelled Rolf as he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, "Please hear Rolf's pleas!"

As Rolf grabbed Lindsay's shoulder, the force caused the fabric constituting Lindsay's ever present fur coat to undergo a slight stress. The force was not enough to tear the coat, but there was no doubt that the blonde girl could feel the fabric being stretched. Rolf's action apparently set off a proverbial alarm within Lindsay's psyche; this combined with the stress she was under to win the ball crown, and the knowledge that she had single handedly hurt Lee's feelings, seemed to push her to the breaking point.

"Don't touch me you freak!" yelled Lindsay as she whipped around, batting Rolf's hand away from her coat, "Are you stupid or something? Did you not hear what that midget said out there!? You were nothing but a scam to get back at Lee. You can forget about coming to the dance, you've done all I need you to do. Quit following me, and stay away from me for now on. We're through!"

Lindsay whipped around and continued on her way down the cross street, disappearing from view as she turned onto Haventhought Way. Rolf remained in his position, paralyzed with shock upon the realization that his relationship was all a lie. The teary eyed teenager proceeded to place his hand on his chest.

"Rolf's heart," said Rolf in a quiet manner as tears began streaming down his face, "It's broken."

Back on the cul-de-sac, Eddy and Marie continued to exchange words as the remainder of the children looked on. Ed and May stood in silence, periodically exchanging nervous expressions, and feeling powerless to help the situation. Likewise, Jonny and Nazz remained mute, seemingly dumbstruck at the events triggered by their sudden intervention.

Double Dee, however, seemed to be quite unhappy with the events taking place before him. For a couple of weeks, the boy had been in the middle of moral dilemma; he had been entrusted with information regarding the reasoning for the bitter rivalry between Lee and Lindsay, but was not able to take any action to remedy the situation. In addition, he was completely aware of the plan Eddy had concocted to use Rolf as a Lindsay repellent, and his pleas for Eddy to cease and desist before things got out of hand fell on deaf ears.

Double Dee's moral conscience had taken a beating, and it was quite obvious that the boy was becoming fed up with the sneakiness that had been displayed by his friends throughout the holiday season. Seeing his two closest connections at each others throats, over issues resulting from their own personal actions, brought an intense anger to the usual docile boy. As he continued to listen to the shouting match, the boy began to adopt a gradual appearance of anger; his face turned from a shade of pink, to a shade of dark red in manner of seconds, as his eyebrows gradually turned downwards. He began showing his teeth, as if he were a predatory animal ready to pounce on it's prey. As the jugular veins on both sides of his neck began to become prominent due to high blood pressure, the sock-headed boy finally decided to break his silence.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Double Dee at the top of his lungs, silencing the argument, and gaining the attention of everyone standing within the cul-de-sac.

In an instant, Eddy and Marie ceased their exchange of words, freezing in place as if they were wax figures; Marie had grabbed Eddy by the collar of his shirt with her left hand, and had her right fist raised, appearing as if she were about to deliver a punch to the boy. Eddy had lifted his hand up to defend from the punch, while grabbing Marie's forearm with his opposite hand. Both teenagers now stood with wide eyes, staring in the direction of Double Dee.

As Double Dee began angrily making his way towards the two individuals, Jonny attempted to intervene.

"Citizen Double Dee," said Jonny, "Please leave the breakup of fights to the experienced crime fighters, for our creed..."

Double Dee immediately turned toward Jonny and Nazz.

"Your assistance is neither desired or required!" yelled Double Dee as he pointed toward Jonny's house, "Both of you, leave immediately!"

Without hesitation, Jonny and Nazz both scattered in the direction of their respective residences. Both were completely silent, apparently realizing the dire nature of the situation they exacerbated.

After dismissing the dynamic superhero duo, Double Dee turned his attention back to Eddy and Marie.

"You and You!" said Double Dee as he pointed to Eddy and Marie in sequence, "For the past week, I have been forced to stand by and observe the neighborhood fall into disfunction as a result of both of your actions. Well, I am here to tell you that I will be silenced no more, and I will not entertain any additional secrets, or scams!"

Double Dee paused to catch his breath.

"To think how much emotional turmoil all of this has caused," said Double Dee, "Because of both of your actions, Lee is now upset beyond belief, poor Rolf's heart has been broken, a beautiful relationship has potentially been destroyed, and most of all, the joy associated with the holiday season has been completely shattered!"

At that point, Double Dee turned and began making his way up the gravel path leading to his front door. As he took a hold of the door handle, he turned around and delivered one final line to his best friend and girlfriend.

"Until you two decide to be open and honest individuals," yelled Double Dee, "Don't look to me for any assistance in solving any further problems, that is, unless you wish to proceed in a morally acceptable direction. I will entertain nothing but the truth from this moment forward!"

Double Dee entered his home, and slammed the wooden door behind him leaving Marie and Eddy in shock at the display they had just witnessed. While Marie appeared quite disheartened, Eddy scoffed at Double Dee's comments.

"Oh so now it's my fault!?" yelled Eddy, in an aggressive manner towards Double Dee's house, "I've bent over backwards this whole season to please everyone, including you, and now I'm taking all the heat!?"

Eddy turned away from his friends, and began walking towards the end of the street.

"I don't need this crap right now!" said Eddy, "I got better things to do than get blamed for everybody else's problems!"

Marie, May and Ed observed Eddy make his way towards the end of the street, turning the corner onto the cross street and disappearing from view. A few seconds passed, at which point Marie made her way over toward the sidewalk, took a seat on it's concrete ledge, and buried her face into the palms of her hands.

May and Ed shared a melancholy glance for a few moments. Ed, recognizing that it was time for him to leave and provide the sisters some privacy, kissed his Little May goodbye, and began his journey down the sidewalk toward his forest green residence.

May, deeply disheartened by all of the negativity, slowly walked towards the end of the sidewalk, and took a seat next to her sister. Marie sensed her presence, lifting her head as she let out a sigh and began a conversation.

"Well," said Marie, "What a great way to start winter recess. Lee's pissed off, her and Eddy are at odds, and now Double Dee's mad at me. Not that I blame him, I brought this on myself."

"Don't beat yourself up," said May, "You were just trying to protect Lee, like any good sister would."

"By doing what?" asked Marie, "Bringing my boyfriend into the middle of it, and not allowing him to help? By standing by, knowing that Lee was being lied to? By not being proactive enough!"

Marie stared forward, at which point a scowl appeared on her face.

"Face it, this whole holiday season is ruined," said Marie, "And it's all that no good slut Lindsay's fault."

May watched nervously as Marie rose from her sitting position.

"Double Dee's right," said Marie, "I'm tired of sitting back, watching my sister suffer over and over again. I'm going to get her back for everything, what she did to Lee back in Kindergarten, and for what she did to us all of those years. I swear it."

Marie pounded her right fist into her left palm in a fit of rage, after which she turned towards her little sister. May, adverse to conflict in general, elected to remain silent, staring wide-eyed at her sisters violent tirade. After a few moments, Marie calmed down slightly and, with a sigh, returned to a seated position next to her sister.

"I guess the first thing we need to do is go in there and make sure Lee's okay," said Marie.

"Yeah," said May, "Let's tackle one problem at a time!"

At the conclusion of May's statement, the Kankers front door flung open with force, emitting a loud slam. Almost immediately, Lee emerged from within, shielding her face as to avoid the profuse tears flowing down her cheeks from being seen. She bolted across the lawn, carrying her mother's car keys in her hand.

Before Marie and May could react, Lee had opened the driver's side door of Tabby's sedan and jumped into the seat. The tall red-head started the engine, and placed he the car into reverse. Neglecting to buckle her seat belt, she turned her head around, and while placing her right arm on the back of the passenger seat for support, accelerated the car in reverse down the driveway, turning it onto Rethink avenue to facilitate travel towards the outlet. While the car was still moving slowly in reverse, Lee shifted the vehicle into drive and slammed her high heeled boot onto the accelerator. The vehicles tired peeled out with an audible screech for a few seconds, after which the car began traveling at a high rate of speed toward the end of the street. May and Marie stared in surprise as Lee ignored the use of turn signals, turned the vehicle on to cross street and disappeared from view.

As the sound of the cars engine fell out of hearing range, Marie turned towards her little sister with fearful eyes. The black-haired girl shrugged her shoulders and decided to comment.

"Whelp," said Marie, "Now we got an even bigger problem to solve!"

As Marie and May conversed on Rethink Avenue, Lee maintained her speed, traveling down the cross street at a rapid pace. Despite not possessing a driver's license, Lee was quite the adept motorist, weaving in and out of lanes somewhat recklessly in an effort to pass "slow drivers". While she ignored most traffic rules, she did respect the red traffic signal at the end of the street, carefully slowing the car to a stop at the intersection.

It was apparent that Lee was quite distraught over her fight with Eddy. Tears seeped out of her eyes, running down her cheeks from underneath her glasses at an alarming rate, while carrying a large amount of her black eyeliner with them. Lee was, in fact, in the middle of an extreme anxiety attack; something she had not had since she attended her retreat last June, and received medication to counteract its effects. In addition, voices of a malicious nature were running through her head, another issue she had not experienced since her time away from Peach Creek, and one which she had hoped she would never have to experience again.

As Lee waited at the red light, sobbing uncontrollably, she reached for the vehicles center storage console and promptly opened it. From within, she retrieved a pack of Tabby's cigarettes and a lighter. The red headed girl proceeded to open the pack, (struggling to do so due to her hands shaking profusely from the anxiety), removed a cigarette, and placed it into her mouth. She held the lighter up to it's end, cupped her palm around it's flint, and flicked the knob a few times, eventually succeeding in lighting the cigarette.

Lee took a long, steady draw from the cigarette, coughing heavily after she did so. It had been around two years since Lee had decided to stop sneaking Tabby's cigarettes after a six month binge, and her lungs were simply not used to the reintroduction of the toxins. She pressed the door mounted button, lowering the driver's side window slightly, after which she removed the cigarette from her mouth and blew the exhaust out into the atmosphere. The slim girl sat in silence, cradling the smoldering cigarette between the index finger and middle finger of her right hand. She stared towards the sky as tears continued to stream down her face, awaiting the traffic signal to turn green.


	60. Chapter 60

**Authors Note:**

 _Triple Feature!_

 _Very rare indeed, but this is the tail end of the "super chapter" that would have also constituted this and the last two._

 _Please expect a return to normal upload schedule (next Friday) once this chapter is issued._

 _Here we go._

 **Chapter 60**

In contrast to the fight that was currently raging in the middle of Rethink Avenue a few minutes earlier, Haventhought Way was quite tranquil. While most of the houses were complete, a few still required insulation and siding to be put in place, and thus were vacant. This, along with the fact that most of the complete houses were occupied by elderly retirees, (the Statorowskis being the only house on the block consisting of a young family) maintained on overall calm ambience on the second cul-de-sac.

Inside the Statorowski residence, Chuck had retired into the living room of the house, and had taken a seat in his favorite armchair. He had returned home from work around thirty minutes ago, changing out of his black dress suit in exchange for a pair of worn blue jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. As usual, he was greeted by a note on the entry door from Edyta, stating that she had "gone out food shopping and would be back by dinner". Used to the routine, the relatively well built man removed the note, disposed of it in the trash can, and awaited his daughter to return from school.

On this particular day, rather than turning on the television to watch the news, the man had decided to pass the time in a different way. He had retrieved a family photo album from the hall closet, and was currently paging through it, observing the photographs as reclined in his chair.

The album consisted almost entirely of photographs of Chuck's family and was quite thick, a necessity given the fact that Chuck was one of seven children. Furthermore, each of Chuck's siblings had families of three or more children, with Lindsay bring the sole only child of the bunch.

Each year, Lindsay's grandmother, affectionately known as "Baba" to her grandchildren, would host a family barbecue at her house. A family tradition was to capture a photograph of all of her children and grandchildren standing together each year, in an effort to track their progress as they grew and changed appearance throughout the years.

Chuck glanced at these particular photographs with a somber stare; they were arranged in sequence throughout the years, the first of which depicted Lindsay as a baby, sitting on the couch amongst other children. As the years passed by, more children were added into the photograph as they joined the family, with the toddlers beginning to pose standing up behind their younger brothers, sisters and cousins.

As Chuck observed the photographs, he noted that his daughter began to stand out amongst her peers. By age three, it was apparent that Lindsay was already a few inches taller than her other family members; at four, she was a head taller than many of her older male cousins.

At the age of five, the natural smile Lindsay had displayed while having her picture taken had disappeared, and was replaced by a neutral expression. In addition, as the years continued to pass by, Lindsay grew even taller, dwarfing all of her cousins old and young as she stood in the back of the group, her chest and head being visible above her cousins at age nine.

In the last four photographs, taken from a time Lindsay was ten, to last years barbecue, the blonde girl's height was no longer as apparent. In lieu of standing next to her family, she had opted to take a seat in a nearby beach chair, a cooler, or some other fixture readily nearby, crossing her legs as she mustered up a smile for the camera.

Chuck spent a few moments staring at the last few photographs of his daughter, at which point he decided to comment to himself.

"Look at her," said Chuck in a soft voice, "She's embarrassed of it, and hiding it by sitting down when having her picture taken...just like _she_ always did."

At that moment, Chuck was broken from his thoughts by the sound of the front door opening. He glanced out into the foyer to see Lindsay entering the house, her face red from exertion, as she slowly closed the door behind her.

"Hey Scout!" said Chuck enthusiastically, "I thought you'd forgotten where we lived. It's not like you not to come right home, especially on the last day before Christmas break."

Lindsay said nothing as she proceeded to turn around to begin making her way up the stairs, on the way to her bedroom. As she turned, Chuck took notice of her flushed face; he rose up from his chair with concern, and walked towards the stairs. He remained at the bottom, watching his daughter slowly climb the stairs, at which point he called out her full name in a stern manner. This action was rarely taken by Chuck, as he preferred to refer to his daughter by one of several nicknames. He found of it as a proverbial trump card, for conducting serious father-daughter business.

Lindsay promptly froze in place near the top of the steps, and slowly turned around to face her father with a confused expression.

"Who, me?" asked Lindsay, still somewhat bewildered by the events that had taken place outside.

"Yeah, you. Who did you think I was talking to, the lamps?" said Chuck in a playful, yet sarcastic manner, "Have you been running? You know you're not supposed to be running right?"

"I know, and I wasn't Daddy," said Lindsay, "But my hands are tingling a bit, I feel like my pressure is a little high."

At the conclusion of Lindsay's statement, Chuck's face dropped and he appeared to adopt an overall nervous demeanor.

"Go take your medicine, and lie down." said Chuck in a stern manner, "Right now! I'll bring you some cookies and something to drink up in a bit."

Lindsay remained still for a few moments, at which pointed Chuck prodded her to proceed once again.

"Go!" yelled Chuck as he flung his hand upward, signaling Lindsay to continue upstairs.

Lindsay shook her head up and down as she proceed to walk down the second floor mezzanine, on her way to her bedroom. Chuck made his way back into the living room, on his way to the kitchen to fix Lindsay up some orange juice and chocolate chip cookies.

Once upstairs, Lindsay made her way into her room, closing the door behind her as she dropped her purple handbag onto the floor. She quickly walked to her nightstand, and removed a long, thin medication container, (with seven compartments labeled for each day of the week), from the drawer. She then opened the compartment labeled "F", dumped the tablets into her hand, and made her way to the bathroom. She proceeded to throw the pills into her mouth, filled a disposible Dixie cup with cold water, and took a large swig to aid in swallowing the pills.

With a disheartened expression, the wavy-haired blonde re-entered her bedroom and collapsed on to her bed. She buried her face into her pillow, and let out a long drawn out scream, which was severely muffled due to the fabric. After around five seconds, Lindsay lifted herself off of the pillow and proceeded to punch it repeatedly out of frustration, as she growled in an aggressive manner.

Eventually, she became too exhausted to continue and collapsed into a fetal position, placing her hands over her eyes. The usually calm composed girl spent the next few minutes crying her eyes out, sobbing uncontrollably into her hands, completely distraught over the mess she had created.

A few moments passed, after which Lindsay lifted her head up, sniffling slightly as tears continued flowing down her face.

"What have I become," said Lindsay, "I'm no better than she is."

Lindsay coughed, struggling to catch her breath from her uncontrollable tears as she looked toward the ceiling.

"You're probably so disappointed in me," said Lindsay, "You would stand up for yourself, and fight for everyone you cared about, no matter what it takes. They all say I'm just like you in every way, but I'm nowhere near it. I'm just a little puppet, a fucking coward, and that's all I'll ever be!"

Lindsay slammed her fists on her knees as she began sobbing once again. A few minutes passed, at which point the girl managed to calm down slightly. She leaned back onto her headboard, staring forward as tears continued to trickle down her face.

Not long after assuming her position, Lindsay's peripheral vision detected movement from outside her window. In an instant, she stood to her feet, sniffling as she wiped the remaining tears from her face and made her way towards her bedroom window.

Due to to being of a higher elevation than most houses in the neighborhood, and being in a similar position to Jonny's house on Rethink Avenue, Lindsay had a full view of the end of Rethink Avenue, including the Kankers house, as well as the intersection of their cul-de-sac with the cross street. That being the case, she was able to spot Marie and May standing on the corner outside of their house, pacing back and forth nervously. May appeared to be biting her nails, as Marie placed her hand over her mouth, both girls conveying a general feeling of uneasiness. In addition, they periodically lifted their phones up, potentially checking for missed calls, as they pondered what to do about Lee's disappearance.

Without hesitation, Lindsay ran towards her vanity and flung open the top drawer with force. She removed a small two inch speaker, attached to which was a thin wire terminating in a small yet powerful microphone. The apparatus was designed to aid budding ornithologists in listening to distant bird calls; however, Lindsay had secretly purchased it for other purposes.

Lindsay wasted no time and plugged the speaker into the wall. She then cracked open her window, and fed the microphone a few inches out of the window. She then closed the pane in a gentle manner, securing the microphone in it's hanging position outside, and switched on the power to speaker.

The microphone had no problem capturing Marie and Mays entire conversation, which consisted of nervous banter regarding phrases such as "we've got to get Lee back before Mom and Dad get home", "I hope she's okay," and "How are we even gonna find her, she didn't take her phone!"

Lindsay remained in her position, staring blankly out the window at the two girls; listening to their conversation while simultaneously praying to God that Lee was okay.


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter 61**

As the Kanker girls continued to contemplate the frightening problem of Lee's sudden disappearance, Eddy, oblivious that his girlfriend might be in danger, had made his way out of the residential area and into the business district. The boy was still visibly furious regarding the situation that had occurred around fifteen minutes earlier; he marched down the street, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he displayed a visible scowl, all the while shoving his way through the crowds without excusing himself while kicking empty soda cans that littered the street.

Eddy eventually turned the corner into the alley leading into his destination, the Nicklaus Brothers Tree Farm. As he continued walking down the small alley, the red scarf around his neck flowing in the slight chilly breeze, he grimaced while uttering a few words to himself

"Now I'm the bad guy again," said Eddy, "Every time something goes wrong, I get blamed for it. All's I was trying to do was help my girl out, and what do I get? Nothing, but everyone yelling down my throat once again. I was doing her and them all a favor by trying to get rid of Lindsay, and they should be thanking me."

At that point Eddy entered the gate leading into the sparsely populated tree farm. Near the far side of the lot, Chris stood near the office shack, packing all of the remaining supplies into cardboard boxes, and using heavy duty shipping tape to secure them. As the large man placed the end of the tape on the edge of the box, promptly pulling on the roll causing it to unreal while emitting it's characteristic "rip" sound, he took notice of Eddy arriving for his final night of work. He watched Eddy make his way towards the boxes, currently positioned at the tail end of Chris's truck for loading, stomping angrily as he did so.

"Yo kid," said Chris, "Good to see ya! Ready for your last day under my wing?"

Eddy said nothing, seemingly lost in his thoughts as he stormed towards the pile of boxes. He continued mumbling to himself as he placed his hand on the truck tail gate.

"She's lucky I'm still doing this," said Eddy, "It's not like she's even going to appreciate it. Talk about a one-sided relationship."

With an audible click, Eddy disengaged the latch and forcibly flung the tailgate to the downward position, shaking the entire truck. He then proceeded to pick up the boxes one by one, throwing them into the truck in angry rage.

"Whoah kid, what they hell are ya doin!?" yelled Chris, "That trucks shocks are shot to shit already, I can't afford to have anything else go wrong. And take it easy on those ornaments, those are easy money from the distributor."

Eddy claimed down slightly, loading the boxes in a much more gentle manner as Chris made his way over to help.

"Somethin' tells me ya had a bad day." said Chris, "What happened, ya get in trouble in school or something?"

"No nothing too bad," said Eddy sarcastically as he continued placing the boxes on the trucks bed, "Just the usual, my best friends blaming all of the neighborhoods problems on me when I was the only person trying to stop it, and to make things even worse Lee's pissed at me for the same thing! I told her to get over the whole Lindsay thing, and she got upset and ran away. Then her sister and Double Dee jump down my throat about it, acting like I'm the devil in disguise. Typical day in Peach Creek for me."

"Geez, what the hell happened!?" asked Chris, "I thought ya said you gave up all those plans you had to get rid of that Lindsay girl and we're gonna focus on getting Lee her dress. Ain't that why you took this job!?"

"It was!" said Eddy, "But now with the way Lee's been acting, I might just pocket the money. She ain't gonna appreciate it anyway, just like she doesn't appreciate anything else I do!"

"Kid, I gotta tell ya something," said Chris as he stood up straight, looking Eddy in the eye, "I like ya a lot, and you do seem like a nice kid, but goddamnit if you aren't the definition of a hothead, I don't know who is. Look how quick you just made that decision not to go on and get Lee her dress, just cause things got ya down at the moment. If I were to wager, I'd say that little character flaw is what got ya in this situation in the first place. Sound right?"

Eddy said absolutely nothing, remaining still with a scowl on his face. Chris emitted a sigh, at which point he placed the packing tape on top of one of the cardboard boxes.

"Alright," said Chris, "Put that box down, and come inside."

"What?" asked Eddy in a confused manner.

"Look," said Chris, "I'm a very reasonable guy. You've been working your balls off every night for the last week, and I have to say I'm impressed with your work ethic. Seeing as it's your last day, and you got bigger problems to worry about, why don't we chat about this over a little card game? Don't worry, I'm feeling generous, you'll get your full day's pay and the game won't be poker. I don't want to knock ya down anymore than you already are."

Chris turned and began walking towards the shack, leaving Eddy quite confused at the situation presented before him. Nevertheless, the short Ed boy followed his mentor into the shack, wondering what could possibly come of this small excursion.

A few minutes was all it took for Chris to set up a small 3'x3' card table, and make himself and Eddy a cup of hot chocolate. The large man had dealt a series of playing cards to himself and Eddy, who were currently sitting across from each other in fold up chairs. Both individuals held five cards in their hand, fanning them out and rearranging their position as they glanced upon a few cards placed face up in the center of the table. The two men sat in silence for a few moments, pondering their hands as they attempted to adapt a strategy to the indistinct game they were playing.

As Chris laid one of his cards in the center of the table, he decided to continue their earlier conversation.

"Well now that you calmed down a bit," said Chris, "Did ya give any thought to what I said?"

"About what?" asked Eddy in a confused manner.

"Man, do you listen to anything I say?" asked Chris, "Your temper, and your tendency to make brash decisions. Have you given any thought that that may be an issue of yours?"

Eddy groaned.

"Look," said Eddy, "I didn't come here for a lecture, I can get that from Double Dee anytime! Okay, I'm pissed off, but don't I have a right to be? None of this is my fault, it all goes back to Lee and Lindsay, and their stupid..."

"There's problem two and three," said Chris, " Two being that you don't want to listen to anyone's advice, especially those who care and are trying to help you, not to mention paying you a days work to play cards. And three is your inability to admit your wrongdoing, and blame others for actions that are yours and only yours."

Eddy groaned slightly as he threw down a card of his own. Chris took a draw from his cigarette, after which he decided to continue.

"Now," said Chris, "What started this fight? The truth, and no bitching about anyone else blaming you."

"Long story," said Eddy, "But if you want the truth, it all goes back to my plan to use my friend Rolf to keep Lindsay away from Lee. For whatever reason, Rolf's crazy about Lindsay, and I figured using his strange customs to gross her out would be a good way to do it. But she wound up leading him on, and now he's pretty heartbroken over it. Not only that, but Lee's really mad that I went behind her back and tried to help her, well at least that's how I see it."

Eddy glanced upward, meeting Chris' eyes with his.

"Things have been very weird from the time Lindsay moved here," said Eddy, "I've known Lee for two years, and one thing I've learned about the girl is nobody, and I mean NOBODY messes with her unless they're expecting a fight. Lee is an excellent speaker, and very street smart, and while she's calmed down a lot recently, she still will not hesitate to punch somebody out if they do her wrong."

Eddy placed another card down onto the table.

"Here's the kicker," said Eddy, "If anyone else in the world would treat her like Lindsay does, Lee would have simply beat the living shit out of them and been done with it. But all of the sudden, she turns into a catty girl, going back and forth with Lindsay over petty stuff. It's frustrating her beyond belief. Lee has said that Lindsay has been a problem for her since Kindergarten, you'd think she'd be fed up by now!"

Chris paused for a few moments, after which he decided to respond.

"I get it," said Chris, "You love Lee, and you hate to see her angry and suffering emotionally, right?"

Eddy nodded up and down.

"Yeah," said Eddy, "What's your point?"

"My point is that there are much better ways of going about it than the way you did," said Chris, "Think about it, put yourself in your pal Rolf's shoes. How would you feel if Ed or Kevin did the same thing to you!?"

"Well, I'd be pissed," said Eddy, "But..."

Eddy paused, pondering his words and the situation he had created before completed his sentence.

"I guess I dropped the ball," said Eddy, "Even though I stopped helping Rolf after a few days, I should have told him the truth instead of letting it just continue. I should have listened to Double Dee. Man I'm a loser."

"Don't sell yourself short kid," said Chris, "You just admitted that you were wrong, that's the first step in being a man. And just cause you screwed up something don't make you a loser. Shit, you don't wanna know the kinds of trouble I got into as a teenager, and look at me I got a pretty successful business here."

"I know," said Eddy, "I just feel bad for Lee. I never meant to hurt her, I was just trying to make her Christmas a special one. But how can I if she's constantly being tortured by Lindsay?"

"Hmm," said Chris, "I gotta admit that is a tough nut to crack, women are like a different species sometimes, so hard to figure out."

Chris took another draw of his cigarette.

"If I were a betting man," said Chris, "The answer may lie in something you said earlier."

"What's that?" asked Eddy.

"You said that Lee treats her problem with Lindsay different then she would if it were anyone else," said Chris, "You know, the catty bullshit, and all the challenges and one-ups instead of using 'physical persuasion'"

"Yeah," said Eddy, "So?"

"Have ya given any thought on why that could be?" asked Chris.

"Somewhat," said Eddy, "I never really thought to deep though."

Chris placed card on the table, after which he looked Eddy in the eye.

"Eddy," said Chris, "Do you remember the last piece of advice I gave you to keep in mind the night you came back to ask me for your job back?"

Chris paused for a few moments, adopting a serious facial expression.

"There's more to every story than meets the eye," said Chris, "There's got to be a reason that Lee handles things the way she does."

"Well, what could it be?" asked Eddy.

"Fucked if I know," said Chris as took a draw of his cigarette, "Why don't you ask her?"

"Are you nuts," asked Eddy, "Bringing up Lindsay in any way is just like pulling a trigger to a gun pointed at your own head. It gets her steamed every time."

"Look kid," said Chris, "You can either deal with seeing Lee suffer emotionally for however long youse two are together, or you can take action and try to figure out what the hell is going on, it's your call. As for me, I suggest you go over to her house sit down with her, and just ask her the question. What the hell could it hurt?"

Eddy groaned.

"I would," said Eddy, "But that's easier said than done. Lee's really upset, and probably doesn't even want to talk to anyone after what happened earlier. She probably already went to bed anyway."

"No big deal," said Chris, "All's ya gotta do is figure out a way to make it up to her and let her know you're sorry for what happened. I'll tell ya, I ain't no expert on women, but I've been around a lot in my younger years, and one thing I do know is no matter how rough around the edges they are, women go gaga over all that romantic mushy crap. Tell me this, did you ever do anything romantic for Lee that made her melt away in your arms?"

Eddy thought for a few moments, after which he decided to reply.

"Well," said Eddy, "One time last spring, Lee got pretty upset over a test at school and, as usual went to bed early without saying anything to anyone. I decided to cheer her up by surprising her with this fake test I made, with questions that were compliments about Lee, answered by me and graded with a 100. I climbed up the backyard patio, and into her window to surprise her. It's funny, as soon as she saw me knock on the window, her face lit up with that cute smile she has when she's happy. It's like it made her night or something."

"There ya go!" said Chris, "Write up a heartfelt note or something, and go surprise her with it through her window. Apologize to her, and let her know you're there for her to talk to, women go crazy over that shit too."

At that moment Chris adopted a serious expression, as he leaned on the table staring directly into Eddy's eyes.

"You better go now," said Chris, "Or you might miss the perfect opportunity to find out something that can really help you make things right."

Eddy stared at Chris for a few moments with confusion, prior to replying.

"Now?" asked Eddy, "But I'm on the clock till ten."

"Don't make me think about it," said Chris as he removed his wallet from his pocket, "You're a good kid with a heart of gold, you just need your priorities straightened out every once in a while. You got better things to do tonight than sitting with some old fat guy playing cards."

Chris opened his wallet, and removed a large wad of cash. He proceeded to count it, and placed it on the table in front of Eddy.

"This should be enough to cover Lee's dress," said Chris, "This money will certainly come in handy, but keep in mind the other advice I gave to you: Material possessions are fine and dandy, but it's those intangible things that really pack the punch."

Eddy stared at the money sitting before him with an excited expression. He proceeded to pick up the cash, fold it up, and place it into his wallet. He then stood up off of his chair, and walked towards Chris' position with his hand outstretched.

"Chris," said Eddy, "You've been nothing but good to me all season, and I really appreciate you helping me out like this. There's gotta be some way for me to repay ya. How's about I help you out with you're contracting company for a bit after the holiday."

"Kid, don't mention it," said Chris as he shook Eddy's hand, "I'm always willing to help a young man with a good work ethic, no matter how much of a blowhard they are."

Chris and Eddy shared a laugh, after which Chris decided to continue.

"Besides," said Chris, "My business is packing up shop and moving to another state after the holidays."

"No kiddin'," said Eddy, "I guess this is goodbye then?"

"More like see ya later," said Chris, "I can guarantee we'll cross paths again."

The two shared another smile, at which point Chris let go of Eddy's hand.

"Now get outta here!" said Chris, "Go get your girl back, and have yourselves a merry little Christmas!"

"You got it!" said Eddy as he made his way over to the door, "Thanks again Chris, and a merry Christmas to you too!"

Eddy opened the door, ushering in a small blast of bone chilling cold air, and quickly exited the shack, closing the wooden fixture behind him.

At this time the winter sun had begun to set, ushering in the twilight hours; accordingly the sky had transformed from a bright blue, to beautiful hues of orange and pink. As Eddy made his way across the dirt filled lot towards the exit, Chris rose from his seat and made his way toward the shack's solitary plexiglass window. Using his finger and thumb, he separated the closed blinders, allowing him to observe Eddy's progress with a smile.


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter 62**

Roughly an hour had passed since Lee's sudden disappearance. As twilight continued to cast it's shadow over the small residential Peach Creek neighborhood, the two youngest Kanker sisters remained outside, both completely focused on the dire problem they were currently faced with.

The temperature was below freezing, around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and due to these unfavorable conditions, the cul-de-sac was completely devoid of life. In addition, the weather forecast called for flurries later that evening, progressing to around an inch of snowfall, set to arrive overnight.

May and Marie seemed completely unaffected by the cold weather and windchills. Both girls stood in silence, as they had for the last hour, periodically checking their phones as they displayed expressions of distress.

"So what do we do now?" asked May, "She's been gone for an hour, and it doesn't seem like she's coming back..."

At that moment, tears began slowly pouring down May's face. Marie walked towards her younger sister, comforting her as she too began crying.

"Don't talk like that!" said Marie, her voice wavering slightly, "She's fine and safe, I can feel it."

"What are we going to do," said May, "Hopefully she didn't get pulled over and arrested! If mom and dad find out, she won't drive again until she's eighteen! Or worse, she could get into an accident and get hurt."

"Shut up!" yelled Marie in a scowling manner, "At this point, Lee getting in trouble with Mom and Dad is the least of our worries. I never thought we'd have to deal with this again, but here we are...at least last time she wasn't able to leave our sight, and we caught her just in time."

Both girls remained silent for a few seconds, as Marie removed her cell phone from her pocket.

"It's time to pull the alarm," said Marie, "We have to call the police and report her missing. Then we have to tell mom and dad what happened. It's our only hope at this point."

May hesitated momentarily, after which she nodded her head up and down in agreement. Marie then slowly lifted her phone into the air, pressing the call icon on the touch screen with her thumb to bring up the key pad. She slowly pressed her finger in sequence to three buttons: 9-1-1. After a deep breath, Marie began moving her thumb towards the "call" icon.

Just as Marie's finger was about to press the button, a message stating "incoming call" appeared on the phone screen. At the same time, the phone began vibrating and playing a familiar tune, a fast paced swing bass line in G, accompanied by an upbeat melody consisting of short whistles.

May lifted her hand to her face, biting her nails as she stared at the ringing phone in a nervous manner. She slowly made her way towards Marie, deciding to pose the inevitable question.

"Who is it?" asked May, "Is it Lee, or someone we know?"

"No," said Marie as she held the phone up for May to see the caller ID, "It's Father Sevino."

Both girls remained locked in eachothers gaze for a few moments, pondering why their priest would be calling them at this time. Eventually, Marie regained her focus, answered the phone, and placed it up to her ear.

"Hello Father," said Marie, pausing in between sentences awaiting the other parties response, "...Is she?...Yeah, well there was an argument, and I guess she had to get away for a while and seek Gods help...No, no don't worry about it...No, we'll come pick her up...Thanks Father, we'll be right there...Goodbye."

Marie ended the phone call, and placed the cell phone back into her pocket. She then glanced towards the sky, letting out a sigh of relief as she turned towards May.

"Lee's safe," said Marie, "She's at the church."

"Thank God," said May.

"Father Sevino said she's been sitting in the front pew for an hour," said Marie, "He said she hasn't said a word, not even responding him when he tried to talk to her. She just keeps staring at the cross, occasionally crying for a few minutes. He also said he tried to call Mommy, but he couldn't get a hold of her so he called us to see if we could come pick her up. I told him we'd be right there."

"But Marie," said May, "The Church is all the way in the city! How are we gonna get there?"

"If there a will there a way," said Marie as she reached into her pocket, "Looks like our only way right now is public transit. We can take the bus to the train station, take the regional rail to 69th street in the city, and catch the el to Somerset. It's gonna be about an hour, but it's our only shot. How much money ya got?"

"Nada," said May as she reached into her pockets, turning them inside out to display.

"Damn it," said Marie, "I only got two dollars. That ain't gonna cut it!"

"There's gotta be something we can do!" yelled May in a distressed manner.

"Well unless we are blessed with some kind of miracle," said Marie, "We're gonna have no choice but to call Mom and Dad."

At that moment, the girls thoughts were interrupted as they noticed a cream colored light appear in the distance, it's intensity growing as the vehicle it was mounted to made it's approach. The increasing intensity of light was accompanied by the sound of a two stroke 50cc engine, growing in volume as the vehicle approached.

The two girls watched in surprise as a Lavender Genuine Buddy 50 gasoline scooter approached in a brisk manner, eventually pulling to the side of the road, stopping directly in front of the two girls. As the motor idled, the girls eyed the individual operating the vehicle; their entire head was hidden from view by a full-face motorcycle helmet, concealing their identity. On their torso was a thick, black motorcycle jacket, depicting the logo for "Harley-Davidson" on it's back. Their legs were covered by a pair of blue jeans, and a pair of black motorcycle boots adorned their feet. On their hands were black leather gloves, protecting their extremities from the extreme wind chill that was inevitably felt when riding such a vehicle in the winter. The mystery person seemed to be of a rather large frame, further augmented by the thickness of their jacket and the apparent long length of their legs.

A few seconds passed, at which point the individual began to speak over the moderately loud idle of the engine. The voice was of a bass tone that seemed to be quite forced, as if the user had a much higher voice and was attempting to lower it, and contained a strong trace of Peach Creeks parent city's characteristic accent.

"Get on," said the driver, as they moved slightly forward on the seat, compressing their leg room while simultaneously opening an area for Marie and May to sit.

The two girls stood still, glancing towards each other with utter confusion, after which they turned their attention back to the street.

"Excuse me," said Marie, "But do we know you?"

"Youse want to get to your sista, don't ya's?" said the individual, "Get on and let's go, we're wasting time here."

Marie and May glanced at each other once again, after which Marie shrugged her shoulders and cracked a smile.

"Let's go," said Marie.

"What!?" asked May, "Are you crazy, we don't know this guy?"

"What have we got to lose?" asked Marie, "We've done much worse before. Besides, we got all those nice little lessons Daddy taught us if he tries anything."

May paused for a few seconds, after which she nodded and followed Marie to the scooter.

In a matter of seconds, the girls have lifted themselves up onto the seat, with Marie sitting directly behind the driver, clutching her hands on their torso, while May took her place behind Marie in the rearmost position, holding on to her sister in a similar manner.

"We're going to the city," asked Marie, "Can you get us there?"

"Sure thing doll," said the driver, "I gotchya covered, St. Bernard's Parish, I know exactly where that is."

"Wait, how did you...?" asked Marie.

"No more questions," said the driver, "Just shut up and hold on."

At that point, the driver throttled the engine, causing the scooter to accelerate. Marie and May held on tight as the driver made a quick u-turn, proceeding to drive the scooter down the cross street at a brisk 35 mph.

After a forty-five minute ride, (the length primarily due to the scooters inability to access major expressways), the trio had made their way through city. It was a long, confusing, and scary ride for the two Kanker sisters, who had taken a major risk by boarding a vehicle with an unknown stranger. Nevertheless, the girls were relieved as they saw the tall spire of their beloved church appear in the distance.

A minute was all it took for the scooter to reach the parking lot, located on the side of the large, gothic styled building. The parking lot was quite desolate, save for a few vehicles including a minivan, and a small sports car. As the girls scanned the parking lot, they easily spotted their mothers Honda Civic. It was parked in a crooked fashion, taking up two parking spaces, it's front left tire partially buried in the flower bed lining the side of the lot. It was quite obvious that Lee had parked it while she was in a panic, as the girl typically had no problem parallel parking when the family visited the city, let alone parking in a standard space.

The sun had fully lowered below the horizon by the time the scooter came to a stop near the path leading to the front entrance of the church. Marie and May quickly dismounted, at which point they turned back towards the operator.

"Thanks a lot!" said May enthusiastically, "We could have never..."

May was unable to complete her sentence; with haste, the operator throttled their engine, causing the scooter to accelerate towards the exit of the parking lot at a rapid pace. Within seconds, the scooter had turned back onto the Main Street, and disappeared from view, leaving the girls quite bewildered. Nevertheless, the two girls nodded toward each other, and proceeded to make their way up the path leading to the main entrance.

The inside of the church was well lit, and spacious. Several stained glasses fixtures hung from the high arches, illuminating the long aisles leading to the altar. In addition, the wooden walls were adorned with several stained glasses windows of multiple colors, each depicting various biblical stories.

The church was as silent as can be; the large room appeared completely deserted, the many rows of pews normally populated by worshippers were completely empty. Almost empty, for as the girls scanned the room, they eventually spotted a tuft of red curly hair rising above the frontmost pew.

Wasting no time, the girls made their way up the aisle to the front of the church. Turning left, they encountered Lee, sitting by her lonesome next to her black handbag. Just as Father Sevino had stated, she sat with an emotionless expression, staring up at the statue of Jesus Christ mounted on a large ornate cross. Her hands remained folded on her lap as she kept both of her heels planted on the floor, her black eyeliner smeared all over her face due to her profuse crying.

Marie and May slowly made their way over to their sister, taking seats on her right and left side with somber expressions. Lee showed absolutely no reaction as both girls placed their hands on her shoulders.

"Lee?" asked Marie in a gentle voice, "Are you okay?"

Lee remained silent for a few a seconds, after which she swallowed and delivered a reply in a shaky voice.

"I...I...don't know w...what to t...think anymore," said Lee, as tears began slowly streaming down her face, "I really like him, he's my first boyfriend, but I lo...care about him, more than anything in the world. I don't want it to be over, but he just doesn't understand. And I'm too scared to tell him because...it...it hurt my feelings so bad!"

At the conclusion of her statement, Lee began bawling profusely. She lifted her glasses, and placed her hands over her eyes, resting her elbows on her knees as she sobbed.

"We know Lee..." said Marie as she rubbed Lee's shoulder, "We know...everything's gonna be alright."

"Lee," said May, "Do you want me to go get Father Sevino? Maybe he can help you understand why God decided to..."

"Shut up about that!" yelled Lee rather brashly as she sprung to an upright position, "I've lost my faith in God! What kind of God puts me on the verge of losing the only guy that's ever treated me with respect!? What kind of God makes me take on the role of a mother at five years old! What kind of God allows me to be molested every other night for three fucking years! And what the fuck kind of God takes the best friend I've ever had away from me and forces me to see her everyday, suffering as a puppet to some fucking whore of a mother that wants to live her life through her!"

Lee slammed her fists on her knees out of anger, after which she placed her eyes back into her hands, continuing to sob loudly. Marie and May glanced at each other with melancholy expressions, both having tears in their eyes due to Lee being driven to question her faith.

Eventually, the two girls wrapped their arms around their sister in a full embrace; Lee replied by lifting her hands from her eyes, and placing them around her sisters; holding them tightly in a loving embrace as she continued spilling her emotions.

After a few minutes, Lee calmed down, and with a sniffle, began speaking once again.

"I heard the voices again," said Lee, "The scary ones, telling me to do bad things. I thought I was done with them once I started taking my medication, but all of this craziness brought them back. I considered listening to them...but then..."

Lee lowered her head and continued sobbing, unable to finish her sentence.

"It's okay Lee," said May, "We understand."

Lee sniffled slightly, at which point she glanced down toward her handbag, on top of which sat an orange pill bottle.

"I took my medication around an hour ago when I got to the church," said Lee, "It stopped the voices, but I'm starting to feel it now. Those pills always make me feel loopy...and...instantly...put ...me"

Lee emitted a long drawn out yawn, at which point she leaned her head backwards, resting it on the back of the pew.

"To sleep..." said Lee in a groggy voice. She then proceeded to seemingly pass out from a combination of sheer emotional exhaustion, and the effects of her medication.

As Lee drifted off to sleep, her eyes closed and mouth wide open towards the ceiling, Marie ran her fingers through her sisters ginger hair.

"Sleep all you want Lee," said Marie, "You had a long chaotic day."

Marie and May remained seated for a few moments, observing Lee sleeping peacefully. Marie eventually decided to break the silence.

"Well," said Marie as she stood up, "Now we just have to figure out how to get Sleeping Jesus back home."

"That's easy!" said May, "We can just call Daddy to come get us. We can say that we decided to go to mass this afternoon, and stayed after to chat with Father Sevino. Piece of cake!"

"That's an excellent plan May!" said Marie, "But there's just one small problem with it."

"What's that?" asked May.

"What did Mommy and Daddy use to get to the fireman's ball?" asked Marie.

"Daddy's truck!" said May with a smile.

"What did we use to get here?" asked Marie.

"That guy helped us with his scooter!" said May

"Right again", said Marie, "Why did that guy need to help us get here?"

"Because Lee drove Mommy's car here!" said May.

"Is Lee taking Mommy's car something that could get her in more trouble than she needs to be in right now?" asked Marie.

"Oh yeah," said May, "Mommy and Daddy would be sooooo mad if they found out Lee stole the car, and drove it all the way here without a license."

"Okay, final two questions," asked Marie, "Where's Mommy's car now, and where does it need to be in order for us not to get in trouble when Mommy and Daddy come home."

"That's easy." said May in an air-headed manner, "It's parked right outside just where Lee left it, and it needs to be back home in the..."

May paused prior to completing her sentence upon realizing her and her sister were in a much bigger predicament than she had thought.

"Oh..." said May, at which point Marie reached into Lee's pocket book.

"Bingo, we have a winner," said Marie sarcastically as she fished through Lee's pocketbook, "Please allow me to present to you, your grand prize."

Marie removed Tabby's car keys and promptly tossed them towards May. The blonde, pony-tailed girl juggled them in her hands for a few seconds, finally gaining control of them as she stared at the metallic items with a nervous expression.

"You're up." said Marie.


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter 63**

May forced the ornate wooden church entry door to the open position from within, causing a gust of frosty air to enter the building. The blonde girl nervously held the door as Marie slowly exited the building, struggling to carry the fast-asleep Lee.

With May's assistance, Marie had flung the much taller and heavier Lee over her shoulder, and carried her down the series of five steps leading to the entrance of the church. Lee's pelvis rested on Marie's shoulder, her legs hanging limp in front of Marie, while her arms and red hair hung freely behind her.

As the girls made their way down the concrete path leading to Tabby's car, Marie decided to strike up a conversation.

"Geez, this girl weighs a ton," said Marie, "No wonder Eddy was able to get so buff just by lifting her."

"She's out cold!" said May, "That medication sure is potent."

"Unlock the door," said Marie as the girls approached the car.

May ran towards the vehicle, and pressed the button mounted on the car key. As the four way emergency lights briefly flashed, the sound of the door latch activating filled the air. May proceeded to open the rear door of the vehicle, and moved out of Marie's way, allowing her to place Lee into the back seat.

As Lee continued to sleep, Marie unwound the seatbelt and passed it over her torso, eventually clicking it in place.

"This bitch owes us big time for this little stunt," said Marie in a sarcastic, yet playful manner as she pulled the seatbelt tight.

Once she ensured Lee was strapped in, the black haired girl closed the rear door and turned towards May.

"Well chauffer," said Marie, "Are ya ready to get us home?"

"Why do I have to be the one to do it?" asked May in a nervous manner, "Why can't you, you're closer to driving age!"

"Hello!" said Marie as she brushed her hair away from her exotropic right eye, pointing to it as she continued speaking, "I have no depth perception! I can barely see in the daytime let alone at night! I'll never even be able to get a driver's license because of this."

May remained silent, continuing to display a nervous expression, at which point Marie walked towards her. She placed her hand on Mays shoulder, while staring into her eyes with a stern expression.

"Listen you," said Marie, "You know how you always get butthurt cause we rag on you about being sweet and innocent, and how you never got in trouble as a kid? Well guess what, tonight's the night you come out of your shell, and reveal the true Kanker that's been hidden inside you for as long as you've been alive. Now is the time!"

Marie remained still for a few more seconds. She then proceeded to swallow heavily, after which she adopted a determined expression, flicked her ponytails over her shoulders in front of her, and pulled on the two strings of her hoodie; a common ritual May used to prepare herself for challenging situations. Marie grinned as she watched her sister make her way around to the driver's side, while simultaneously opening the passenger door, taking a seat in the passenger seat.

Once inside the vehicle, May nervously placed the keys into the ignition, and started the engine. Due to the tremendous difference between her height and Lee's, the seat was much further back than she expected, preventing her from comfortably reaching the pedals or seeing over the steering wheel.

"I can't reach the pedals!" yelled May.

"Adjust the seat you moron!" yelled Marie, "And make sure you turn the headlights on before you move."

"Calm down Marie," said May as she adjusted the seat to her liking, "I ain't stupid!"

May placed placed both of her hands on the steering wheel, appearing quite apprehensive, as Marie continued to coach her, despite her lack of any driving experience.

"Okay," said Marie, "Adjust your mirrors, put your foot on the brake, and shift it into reverse."

May followed Marie's guidance, shifting the vehicle into reverse with an audible click. She proceeded to turn backward, staring out of the rear window as she released the brake, allowing the vehicle to slowly move out of the parking space.

As the vehicle cleared the space, May began to turn the wheel, in an effort to angle the vehicle towards the parking lot exit. At that point, feeling slightly more confident, May decided to place her foot on the accelerator; unfortunately, as with many first time drivers, she underestimated the sensitivity of the pedal. This caused the vehicle to suddenly accelerate in the reverse direction.

"Jesus Christ!" yelled Marie, "Brake, Brake BRAKE!"

May slammed her foot onto the brakes, stopping the car instantaneously, and forcing her and her sister into the seat fabric.

"What the hell was that!?" asked Marie.

"I tried to press the gas, but it's stronger than I thought!" said May with distress.

"Alright, calm down!" said Marie, "Let's drive around the parking lot for a bit so you can get used to how the car feels. Go ahead!"

May once again lifted her foot off of the brake pedal; however, in lieu of traveling forward as expected, the vehicle began traveling in reverse once again, due to May forgetting to shift.

"Whoops." said May rather dopily as she stopped the vehicle, "Sorry!"

As May shifted the vehicle into drive, Marie clasped her hands and glanced toward the sky. She silently prayed to God as May began slowly driving the car around the lot, getting used to the feel of the accelerator and the steering.

After around a minute of cruising the lot, Marie decided that it was time to begin their trek home.

"Okay," said Marie, "Time to go. Turn out onto the Main Street, but make sure to stop and look for cars."

"Already!?" asked May, "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" said Marie, "Remember we're on a time limit. Mommy and Daddy will be home in an hour and a half. Let's go!"

May nodded, at which point she began accelerating the car towards the exit. As she reached the she glanced down the avenue in the direction of oncoming traffic. The light at the end of the street was currently red, stopping the flow of traffic, and allowing May the right of way.

"Use your turn signal," said May as the car approached the turn, "Don't bring any unnecessary attention to yourself."

"Right," said May as she flicked the handle to the upward position with her left hand, causing the green indicator on the dashboard to intermittently light up while simultaneously emitting the characteristic "tick-tock" sound.

May slowly inched the car out onto the dark street, turning onto the asphalt as she watched for approaching vehicles. Once she was in the clear, she lifted her foot off completely off of the break pedal, and placed it on the accelerator, causing the vehicle to cruise down the street at a gentle 35 mph.

Marie, while attempting to keep cool, was quite nervous as she sat in the passenger seat next to her rather air headed sister. After a few brief stops at traffic signals, Marie seemed to calm down slightly, releasing her death grip on the seat cushion as she became comfortable with May's driving; a skill which she seemed to pick up rather quickly.

As the car approached another traffic signal, Marie, using her phone as a guide, lifted her hand in the air and proceeded to point to the left.

"Turn left here," said Marie, "It's the on-ramp to the expressway."

"The expressway!" yelled May, "I can't drive the expressway, it's too fast!"

"That's the point!" said Marie, "The clocks ticking, remember."

May nodded nervously as she forced the lever on the left side of the steering column downward, activating the left turn signal. Using her mirror to check for vehicles approaching from the rear, she merged into the "left turn only" lane.

As May approached the intersection, she was forced to postpone her left turn due to oncoming traffic in the opposite direction.

"I can't turn!" said May in distress, "They won't stop!"

"Just wait," said Marie as she continued to keep her eye on the green light mounted over the intersection. Eventually, the green signal extinguished, at which point the amber light mounted above it activated for around three seconds.

As soon as the yellow light extinguished, the red light illuminated, causing the oncoming vehicles to slow to a stop. Almost instantly, Marie suddenly yelled.

"GO!"

May slammed her foot onto the accelerator, causing the vehicles tires to squeal slightly as she made the turn onto the expressway ramp. A few seconds passed after which the tires finally regained their grip on the asphalt, allowing the vehicle to smoothly cruise around the long entrance ramp.

"Damn Speed Racer!" yelled Marie, "You didn't have to peel out and bring attention to us like that you moron!"

"You yelled GO!" yelled May in a distressed manner, "What did you expect me to do!?"

"Whatever," said Marie, "Here comes the final turn, then we have to merge on!"

May watched nervously as a green sign passed by, depicting a blue shield containing the number "76" in white digits. May squeezed the steering with both of her hands even tighter than before, so much so that it seemed the skin of her digits matched her red fingernails.

As the path straightened out, the expressway came into view. It was a three lane highway, chock full of vehicles ranging in sizes from small sports cars to semi trucks, currently cruising by at highway speeds of 65mph.

"Alright, here we go," said Marie, as she glanced backward through the rear window "Speed up to match their speed, and use your turn signal. You can get in right in front of this guy."

May, while sweating bullets hesitated slightly, but eventually obliged, activating the turn signal as the engine began to throttle up. The blonde girl observed the position of the vehicle behind her through her mirror, noting that the headlights seemed to be approaching at an even fast rate than before.

"He's coming up fast!" said May, "I'm not going to be able to get in!"

"Yeah you will!" said Marie, " Speed up, he's just an asshole."

May pressed the accelerator, increasing the speed of the vehicle once again. However, the aggressive driver behind did not seem to get the message, and throttled in an attempt to block May out.

"He's right up on me!" yelled May in a panic, "What do I do? The lane's ending!"

Marie paused, staring nervously out the back window as the vehicle approached the rear left side of the car. Suddenly, Marie's nervousness got best of her.

"CUT HIM OUT!" yelled Marie.

At that point, an extremely frightened May suddenly whipped the steering wheel to the left, bringing the car onto the expressway and cutting out the driver behind her out. Adding to May's stress, the driver behind her honked his horn for around six seconds, after which the car suddenly zipped into the lane beside her. The driver rolled down his window, and uttered a few powerful words.

 _What the hell's your problem you dumb bimbo!?_

With the conclusion of his statement, a proverbial flint seemed to strike within May's head. The stress level of bring forced into driving the vehicle, merging on the expressway, and dealing with the aggressive driver seemed to push May to her breaking point. Her face turned red, and adopted an angry scowl. She then used the button located on the door to lower the driver's side window, and as Marie watched in surprise, decide to react to the driver's statement.

"Shut the fuck up!" yelled May in an uncharacteristic manner, "The only bimbo you know is your wife, and judging by the way you drive your little dick ain't satisfying her enough so you gotta prove yourself on the road! Eat shit and die asshole!"

At the conclusion of her statement, May lifted her left hand in the air and extended her middle finger; displaying a common obscene gesture in the driver's direction. The driver remained in complete shock, his jaw wide open as May accelerated the vehicle to around ten miles faster than highway speeds, leaving the malcontent in the dust as she closed the cars window.

The driver was not the only individual in surprise; Marie sat in the passenger seat, stunned beyond belief that May was capable of such "verbose" language. After a few seconds, her expression of surprise turned to a slight grin.

"Wow, go ahead May!" said Marie, "You didn't even talk like that when you got your braces tightened last spring!"

"He saw me trying to come over!" said May in an angry manner as she held the streering wheel at ten and two, "He was just being a big jerk!"

"Alright, alright," said Marie, "Calm yourself down, you're speeding!"

May calmed down slightly, her scowl disappearing as she glanced toward the speedometer. She then let off of the accelerator slightly, allowing the car to slow down to the 65 mph speed limit. After a few seconds, May cracked a smile.

"I guess I got a little too mad back there." said May.

"Ah, don't worry about it!" said Marie, "It's in your blood."

May paused for a few seconds, eventually deciding to reply.

"I guess I'm a finally real Kanker after all." said May in a slightly disheartened manner.

"May, cut that crap out!" said Marie, "You've always been a real Kanker. If this is about us teasing you about being innocent and what I said earlier, well it's just what sisters do!"

Marie turned towards May.

"Look," said Marie, "If you really want the truth, I see you as the glue that's always held together. Those good girl traits are something me and Lee wished we always had, and we really admire you for it. It's something to be proud of, not ashamed of!"

Marie paused briefly as she placed her feet on the dashboard, leaning backwards as she crossed her right leg over her left.

"I have to admit though," said Marie, "Lee has confided in me that she was afraid she coddled you too much, and made you afraid to solve your own problems and stand up for yourself if she wasn't around. But what I just witnessed definitely would have put Lee's fears to rest. There's nothing wrong with defending yourself against anyone, and if Lee wasn't knocked on her ass by those mood stabilizers, I'm sure she'd congratulate you on a job well done!"

May and Marie shared a smile for a brief instant, after which May returned her eyes to the road. The blonde girl kept her hands at ten and two, observing the road markers as she cruised at a brisk 65 mph, being sure to keep the vehicle centered. The girls remained silent for around five minutes, after which May decided to initiate a conversation.

"How's Lee doing?" asked May.

Marie turned head head towards the back seat to check on Lee. The red-headed girl was still fast asleep, her head cocked slightly to the left due to the motion of the car.

"Sleeping like a baby," said Marie as she turned back around, emitting a sigh, "I wonder how long she's gonna be depressed over this."

"Hopefully she get's over it before Christmas!" said May, "We gotta find some way to cheer her up."

"Yeah," said Marie, "The first thing we gotta do is get her home safe and put her to bed. Then I gotta figure out how to make all this up to my Oven Mitt. I put him in a really bad spot by pulling him into all of this, and I can't blame him for being mad."

At that point a scowl appeared on Marie's face.

"And most importantly," said Marie, "Me and you are gonna get some sweet revenge on Lindsay, not only for what she did to Lee, but for all the stuff she put us through because of it."

"I don't know if that's a good idea," said May, "That might just make things worse."

"Well we have to do something!" said Marie, "We can't just sit by and let Lee keep suffering. Would Lee ever do that to us?"

May remained silent as Marie continued her rant.

"Here's what we'll do." said Marie, "We'll put Lee to bed as soon as we get home, then we're gonna dig up some good dirt on our dear old friend. There's gotta be something crazy floating around about her on that Internet, and we're gonna find it."

May sighed.

"Whatever you say Marie," said May

At the conclusion of their conversation, Marie turned towards the passenger side of the vehicle and placed her elbow on the doors armrest. She leaned her face on her palm, watching the lit up city skyline pass slowly before her, while pondering the situation she was faced with.


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter 64**

As the Kanker girls were continuing their trek back to Peach Creek, Eddy had made his way back to the cul-de-sac. The small Ed boy had stopped at the Candy store to pick up a box of cookies and cream flavored fudge to present to Lee as an apology gift. The delicacy was Lee's absolute favorite desert, to the point of borderline addiction; Eddy knew that there was no way she could resist the call of the sweet treat.

Eddy made his way down the cross street in a stealthy manner, eventually reaching the entrance to the lane. Upon reaching the inlet, he walked down the narrow alleyway to the Kankers yard, where he proceeded to scale the wooden fence, and drop onto the well maintained grass lining the yard.

The stout boy tiptoed across the yard towards the back patio, a modest sized concrete surface containing a few articles of outdoor furniture. Above the patio was an overhang, which acted as a shield from the hot sun in the summer months; this overhang was supported by metal framework on it's right and left side, in the design of a garden trellis, perfect as a habitat for climbing vines and, unintentionally, for climbing humans.

Eddy stopped for a few moments as he approached the trellis, staring upward at the small double hung window mounted above the patio overhang; the sole window leading into Lee's bedroom. The curtains were partially closed, covering the perimeter of the window while allowing a small amount of light to peek through.

Eddy took a deep breath, at which point he placed the box of fudge into his jeans pocket, and scaled the trellis. Once on the patio roof, he took a few steps across the aluminum structure, and slowly approached Lee's window.

Prior to attempting to open the window, the short boy peered through the small space between the curtains; while the room was well lit, he was not able to make out the details. Nevertheless, Eddy was quite surprised that Lee was nowhere to be found.

"Wow," said Eddy to himself, "I guess she went out with the family. Probably for the best, it will definitely help her calm down and make this a little easier on me."

Eddy reached down into his right pocket, and removed the box of fudge he had stored there moments earlier. He cradled the box in his hand for a few seconds, contemplating heavily as he stared at the ornate wrapper. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head, causing him to simultaneously adopt a smile.

"Time to break out a little bit of the Eddy magic." said Eddy, "I'll sneak this in, leave it on her bed, and write her a sweet note to surprise her when she get's home. Perfect!"

At that point, Eddy grabbed the bottom of Lee's window with both of his hands, and slowly moved it up into a position large enough for him to fit through. He placed his right leg over the wall and into the room, after which he ducked down while bringing the remainder of his body through the portal. Once inside the room, he proceeded to close the window, in an effort to minimize the impact to the houses internal temperature from the bitter winter air.

As Eddy turned around to face the interior of the room, an expression of shock and surprise filled his face; Lee's bedroom was barely recognizable in it's current state. It appeared as though a nuclear bomb had gone off inside. The door leading to the closet was wide open, and all of the clothes usually kept within were strewn around the room, hanging from strange places such as the ceiling fan and the vanity in a disorganized fashion. The books usually sitting neatly on Lee's desk were no longer there, instead they had been scattered around the room as well. The entire mattress had been uprooted, and thrown against the wall, leaving no place for Eddy to place his chocolates as a surprise for Lee. The floor was littered with what seemed like many pages of math and chemical equations, torn out of notebooks and thrown around in a violent manner, along with pens and pencils. It was quite obvious that Lee had uprooted her entire room in a violent rage prior to escaping to the church with her mother's car.

"What the hell happened here?" asked Eddy as he glanced around the room, "Damn, she's a lot more pissed than I realized."

As Eddy made his way over towards the area of Lee's dresser, something particular began to catch his eye. On top of the vanity, amidst the torn up school papers and disheveled bottles of perfume and nail polish was a notebook spared from destruction, neatly placed on top of the wooden surface. The book was placed directly above an open drawer, the only drawer to Lee's vanity that required a key to open; the drawer that contained all of the most personal items belonging to the tall red-head.

Unfortunately, with her thoughts clouded by the chaotic events that occurred earlier that day, Lee had tried to calm herself down by glancing through her old memories with her best friend. However, the violent storm within her mind became too much for the girl to handle, and against her better judgement, she rushed out of the house, leaving all of her personal belonging open and exposed.

Eddy curiously made his way over to the vanity, and gazed upon the marble note book sitting on top. A pink crayon had been used to label the book; the text appeared to have been written by a small child, and read:

 _The Fabulous Life of LeeLee! (A Smiley face with ponytails was drawn next to the text)_

"LeeLee?" asked Eddy, "She broke my balls when I called her LeeLee earlier this month, and here she is labeling her own book with it."

Eddy giggled slightly as he grabbed the book in his hands.

"She'll probably kill me if she ever found out about this," said Eddy as he opened the book, "But let's just see what cute widdle Wee was like when she was a whittle girl."

Eddy giggled at his own joke as he glanced upon the first page. The book was structured as a journal of sorts, and while the text within was written by a five year old, the eloquence and penmanship of the words were well beyond her years. Slowly but surely, Eddy began reading with a sly grin.

 _Dear Journal!_

 _September 7_

 _Annalee here and welcome to my fabulous life! Now that I started Kindergarten I wanted to document the fun I am going to have learning all sorts of new things, playing with my little sisters, and my new special friend!_

 _Today was my first day in school, and I was SOO excited about learning new things! I can't wait to start learning math and science, and get on my way to being a teacher when I grow up! However, I was also scared, and so were my sisters about making friends with all of the other kids._

 _I decided to be brave, and introduce myself to a girl sitting on the bench. Her name is Lindsay Stazorewski, at least I think that is how you spell it, and she is very nice, smart and pretty. She doesn't like running around and playing as much as I do, because she says she's not allowed to and her knees and back hurt when she does, but that was okay because everybody's different. She likes painting her nails, and playing with dolls and she's really good at it. She told me she'd show me how to do mine just like hers. She can also bend her fingers in all kinds of weird ways, which I think is really really cool, but she thinks it's strange. It was so fun playing with her, we even came up with special names for eachother. I'm LeeLee and she is Lizzy._

 _We played together all day, and we became fast friends. I'm so excited to go back to school tomorrow and play with her some more._

 _I'll let you know what we do tommorow!_

Eddy did a proverbial double take as he read the words on the page; what was simple curiosity about his girlfriends childhood years had transformed into true intrigue. The boy remained completely silent, in shock at what he had just read for a few moments, after which he decided to turn forward a few pages.

 _October 5_

 _Today was an amazing day!_

 _Me and Lizzy spent coloring time making a poster for our future business, L &L designs. Lizzy told me she wants to be a business woman when she grows up, and I think she would be very good at it. All of the kids in the class love her, and when we play store she can sell everything! She is also really good at counting money, and working with percentages. She said her Daddy used to take her to work with him, but her mother stopped her from going because she thinks girls should only focus on beauty. That's really stupid, and I told Lizzy that she should do what she wants and we can work together to bring her love of fashion and hairstyling together in business. We're going to be awesome._

 _She also complemented me on my hair, which made me feel really good. Nobody ever noticed before, but I knew I could count on Lizzy. She's my best friend after all. We made a pinky promise to each other today to always be friends, and everyday when we leave school, we lock pinkies and say "Best Friends Forever" to each other._

 _Lizzy is coming over my house after school tomorrow to show me how to do my nails like her. I can't wait. I'm also going to ask her to sleep over my Daddy's house, we can stay up all night and work on our designs._

At that point, Eddy slowly placed the book back onto the vanity, staring down at it in utter shock.

"No way..." said Eddy to himself in a drawn out fashion. As he turned his head downward, the unlocked and open drawer caught his eye, at which point the small Ed boy could not resist taking a peek inside.

Eddy gazed at the contents of the drawer. Inside, up against the sidewall sat the golden trophy that Lee had won in the winter talent show. Adjacent to the trophy was what appeared to be a bright blue girls headband, adorned with a rather large bow of the same color.

However, the most interesting contents from Eddy's perspective were a pack of photographs tucked into the back corner of the drawer. Without hesitation, Eddy reached for the envelope, picked it up, and opened it to examine the contents.

Eddy remained in shock as he scanned through the large pile of photographs, depicting countless photographs of Lee and Lindsay as little girls. In contrast to the bitter personas they exhibited around each other in the present day, both girls seemed to be smiling from ear-to-ear with joy in every last photograph. Within the pile were pictures depicting Lee and Lindsay drawing together, doing manicures, running their lemonade stand, giving each other tight hugs, and sharing their "best friends forever" pinky promise. As Eddy observed the photographs, he noted that the blue bow worn by Lindsay in the pictures was in fact the same one contained within the drawer.

After a few moments of sifting through the pictures, Eddy's curiosity brought him back to Lee's journal. He grabbed the pages one by one, turning through them with a curious expression. The stout boy eventually found what he was looking for on the last documented page.

 _Nov 21_

 _This will be my last journal entry. I have lost the will to write._

 _I had the worst day of my life today. Me and Lizzy are not friends anymore. She didn't say why, but yesterday her mommy caught her with us and said she couldn't play with me anymore. She called me trash, and said that Lizzy was too good to play with me. Lizzy tried to tell her she liked playing with me, but her mommy grabbed her and drug her home by her arm. That probably hurt her, because she has a lot of problems with her joints, and I felt really bad for her. Even though her mommy was mad, I knew she would never break the promise we made to each other._

 _I was wrong. I tried to cheer Lizzy up today and she wouldn't talk to me. Then she tore up our best friends forever picture, and told me we are not friends anymore. I was so sad, I cried all day. She is my best friend, and I love playing with her, I don't want that to go away._

 _I know Lizzy hasn't changed. She is still the nice person she always is, I can feel it. I don't know what her mommy did to her to change her so much, but she's acting like a totally different person now and it hurts me. I know this isn't her, but I don't know how to help her._

 _I will never give up on Lizzy, she's my friend and I love her, and I'll figure out some way to help her be herself again. Until then, I'll just have to keep fighting with her, at least we can still talk that way, and I won't loose her completely._

 _I have no reason to continue writing, because I am too sad. Bye Journal._

Eddy paused for a few moments, absorbing the words that he had just read, after which he noticed a block of black handwriting showing through from the next page. He proceeded to turn the page, at which point he came across a paragraph of new penmanship; this paragraph seemed to be added by Lee earlier that summer, and was written much neater than the previous text and in the cursive style.

Eddy read the new text to himself, after which he looked up towards the ceiling in shock, while seeming to have an "ah-ha!" moment. The young boy slowly closed the journal, placed his hand over his mouth, and took a seat in Lee's office chair. He placed his elbows on his knees, and rested his cheeks on his palms with wide eyes. In a manner of minutes, Eddy had learned the entire backstory of Lee and Lindsay's relationship, and now completely understood why it was so tumultuous. He was quite overwhelmed by the knowledge, and was beginning to feel quite horrible regarding the manner in which he treated Lee earlier that day.

As Eddy pondered the last page of the journal, he was suddenly reminded of the situation he observed the night of the talent show, in which he witnessed Edyta screaming at Lindsay for losing to Lee. Thinking Lindsay was just a jerk, he welcomed Edyta's outburst, and was quite glad to see Lindsay being treated the way she seemed to treat everyone else. However, he now knew that there was more to the situation than meets the eye. As he pondered Edyta and Lindsay's relationship, he was reminded of something quite similar; something that quickly brought a tear to his eye.

It was at that moment that Eddy was struck with inspiration. After briefly observing the time on his cell phone, he quickly laid out all of the photographs of Lee and Lindsay on the table, and used his camera phone to take a picture of each one. In addition, he also took a picture of Lee's half of their " best friends forever drawing", saving it into his photo database for an unknown purpose.

After completing his task, Eddy proceeded to carefully place all of the belongings just where Lee had left them, in an effort to prevent Lee's keen eye from recognizing a tamper. He then proceeded to silently make his way back out of the window, and climb down the trellis into the backyard.

As Eddy made his way back to the fence leading to the lane, he paused for a few moments, at which point he glanced toward the sky and uttered a few simple words.

"Lord," said Eddy, "I'm not a religious man, but I seriously need you right now. For whatever reason, you have not allowed any of my plans to work in the past, good or bad. Please, if you are ever going to pick one to allow to succeed, please let it be this one."


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter 65**

Elsewhere in the Peach Creek, the business district appeared to be a proverbial ghost town. Due to the bitter cold, the hordes people walking the streets of the twelve square block neighborhood had fled to their homes, seeking shelter from Old Man Winters shadow. Nevertheless, the businesses lining the streets remained open, hosting dinner for patrons brave enough to beat the cold, while providing beautiful multicolored light displays. In addition, dedicated Carolers remained on the street corner, singing a cappella arrangements of famous Christmas tunes.

On one particular street, located on the outskirts of the district, a rather large bodied individual clad in motorcycle gear rode along the asphalt on a lavender scooter; the same individual who had dropped the Kanker sisters off at their church around a half hour ago. The scooter passed by a few stores, eventually making it's way to a gate; a gate which served as an entrance into a public storage complex. The scooter briefly stopped in front of the closed gate, at which point the user punched an access code into the adjacent keypad, granting them access into the compound.

As the gate slid to the open position, the individual placed the scooter back into gear and briskly accelerated into the parking lot. The complex consisted of several rows of long aluminum buildings, the positions of which formed alley ways in between. These alley ways were lined with rows of large, orange garage doors, each leading into a labeled storage unit.

The driver of the scooter weaved their way through the complex, eventually turning their vehicle onto one such alleyway. The driver briefly accelerated their vehicle towards the middle of the alley, stopping it in front of a double-wide storage unit labeled "413".

The driver dismounted their scooter, and made their way towards the garage door. They then proceeded to remove a key ring from their pocket, attached to which were three golden keys, and a key fob designed in the shape of a white square. The fob was adorned with a graphic consisting of two hollow pentagons shaped like a baseball home plate, one red and one purple, pointing towards each other with the triangular areas slightly overlapping. After locating the correct key, the individual unlocked the padlock securing the garage, removed it, and began the process of lifting the door to the open position.

As the individual struggled to open the heavy door, the interior of unit came into view. Parked near the right hand wall was a Black 2000 Mustang GT, equipped with a turbocharged modular V8 engine, and five speed manual transmission. The vehicle was maintained in pristine condition; the leather seats appeared as they did the day owner bought the car brand new, and the exterior paint reflected in a manner similar to a mirror.

Next to the Mustang sat a silver Harley-Davidson Cruiser Motorcycle, complete with shiny chrome handlebars, headlamp, v-twin engine and exhaust pipes. The wheels of the motorcycle had been lifted off of the ground, placed on chocks to minimize stress on the tires as the bike sat still over the window. In addition, the battery had been removed for preservation, as well as the engines cylinder heads; these components sat on a wooden bench in the corner of the garage, appearing to be in a state of refurbishment.

With hast, the operator of the scooter wheeled the small vehicle into the garage, and parked it adjacent to the other two vehicles. The individual then placed the kickstand in the down position, allowing the scooter to stand freely, at which point they unzipped the large, Harley-Davidson jacket adorning their torso.

In one swift motion, the individual separated the zipper and removed their arms from the jacket in sequence. As the two halves of the jacket separated, the bottom portion of a familiar winter coat fell to the area of their thighs. The coat was maroon in color, accented with white rabbits fur trim, and was secured in place by a tan belt wrapped around the individuals waist. The mystery individual then grabbed hold of their full face helmet, and proceeded to lift it off of their head.

A large volume of blonde waves seemed to spill out of the helmet as it was removed, falling to the area of the individuals waist as she shook her head to loosen the locks. The tall, slim figure removed the motorcycle gloves adorning their hands, revealing a set of perfectly manicured pink fingernails. The female ran her fingers through her hair as she gazed into the left mirror of the scooter.

The face reflecting off of the mirror was that of Lindsay Statorowski who, in accordance with state law, was able to obtain a "moped license" upon turning fourteen. The blonde diva had received the scooter as a birthday gift from her father, and used it quite often to make her way around town, all the while keeping her use of it a secret.

As the girl examined her reflection in the mirror, she decided to comment to herself.

"Ugh, helmet hair," said Lindsay, "You owe me big time LeeLee, it's a shame you were never able to show me how you kept those beautiful curls so nice after we rode our bikes together."

Lindsay ceased styling her hair, and examined her face as she continued speaking.

"But a little bit of hair trouble is nothing compared what could have possibly happened," said Lindsay, "Please get home safe and sound LeeLee."

Lindsay proceeded to remove the motorcycle boots she had donned for the trip, placing them and the Harley-Davidson jacket, both "borrowed" from Chuck, back in his motorcycle saddle bags. She the. took a seat on Chuck's motorcycle, using it as a support for her to place her leather high heeled boots onto her feet, all the while glancing over towards her scooter.

"Yet another thing I have to keep hidden," said Lindsay, "God forbid she finds out that I have some form of independence."

Lindsay looked towards the ceiling as she tightened the strap on her left boot, completing her thought as she did so.

"Let alone find out that it was once yours." said Lindsay,

At the conclusion of her statement, Lindsay stood up, and picked up her purple hand bag. She then proceeded to exit the storage unit, closing the door behind her. After ensuring that the door was locked, the tall blonde made her way out of the lot, beginning her journey back to her home on Haventhought Way.

To protect herself from the bitter cold, Lindsay had placed a pair of earmuffs, matching the color of her coat, on top of her her head; and donned her light blue winter gloves. The flashing lights, and bright decorations seemed to mean nothing to the lanky girl; she remained completely focused on her thought, staring forward with a melancholy expression, while walking as if she were on autopilot.

As she made her way down the Main Street, a few flurries began to fall from the sky, eventually progressing to a moderate snowfall. While the district was already quite silent, the snowfall seemed to bring an even more desolate feel to the area. The silence only served to amplify the voices of the Carolers, who remained on the street corner despite the harsh conditions. As Lindsay approached, the group began singing a slow, beautiful arranged vocal rendition of "Little Toy Trains" by Glenn Campbell:

 _Little Toy trains, little toy tracks, little toy drums_

 _Coming from a sack._

 _Carried by a man, dressed in white and red._

 _Little boy don't you think it's time you were in bed._

As Lindsay passed, the groups performance managed to draw a slight smile from the girl; the song was quite familiar to her, as it was one of Chuck's favorite Christmas songs, sung to him by his mother when he was little. As a token of her enjoyment, she reached into her pocket book, removed two dollars from it, and dropped it into the their donation jar.

Lindsay continued on her way, eventually reaching the residential area. As she turned onto the cross street, she gazed at the Kanker residence with a solemn expression; neither of the Kanker vehicles were in the driveway, and the house was completely dark, indicating that the girls had not yet made it home.

With a sigh, Lindsay continued down her way onto the Cross Street, eventually rounding the corner onto Haventhought Way while continuing to analyze the current state of her life. However, the tall debutante was barely able to make it halfway down the block, as a loud, obnoxious male voice with a slight growl pierced through the silent, snowy night from behind.

"HEY YOU!"

At the sound of the familiar voice, Lindsay immediately ceased her locomotion efforts, coming to a standstill in the center of the sidewalk . As the snow continued to fall, accumulating slightly on her ear muffs, the blonde girl slowly turned around while maintaining a stoic expression.

Standing around ten feet behind her was none other than Eddy, staring in her direction with an angry glare. Lindsay remained silent for a few seconds, after which she decided to reply using her false arrogant persona.

"And what do _you_ want?" asked Lindsay in a sarcastic tone.

Eddy began walking towards Lindsay in a rather aggressive manner.

"I'd like to have little chat with you about what you did to Annalee," said Eddy, "So drop the arrogant diva act and get serious!"

"Hun please," said Lindsay, "I'm all about reality, there is no act here."

Lindsay returned to walking down the street.

"Look guy, I've got things to do," said Lindsay, "I don't time to worry about anything to do with what happened between you and Geek Girl earlier. And besides she should learn by now that challenging me always ends in failure."

"I ain't talking about what happened earlier today,"' said Eddy, "I'm talking about what happened ten years ago in the school playground. Ya know, when you tore up the picture you and Lee made together in art class, back when you were best friends forever."

Lindsay ceased walking mid stride once again, freezing as if she were a statue upon hearing Eddy's words. After a few moments, she slowly placed both of her feet back onto the ground, and turned her head slightly to the left; just enough to project her voice towards Eddy, while avoiding eye contact.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." said Lindsay in a calm, yet melancholy intonation.

"Bullshit," said Eddy as he approached Lindsay, making his way to her left side in an attempt to make eye contact with the beautiful giant, "There's no point in trying to get out of this one, I know everything about what happened between you two. You did everything together, played store, ran a lemonade stand, designed clothes, colored, and planned to grow up together doing great things. You were Lizzy, and she was LeeLee. You two promised each other that you'd be best friends forever, right? Remember this?"

Eddy held both of his hands up in front of him, attracting Lindsay full attention. He proceeded to interlock his pinky fingers, as he raised his hands upwards to Lindsay's eye level. She said absolutely nothing, remaining completely silent as she continued to listen.

"And guess what else?" asked Eddy as he lowered his hand, "I also know everything about you too. I know about your overbearing mother, I know why you're here, I know it all...Tiffany.."

At that moment, Lindsay's entire body seemed to suddenly jar; her blonde hair, typically hanging to the area of the waist seemed to spring up in a cartoonish fashion, as her eyes widened with distress. While Eddy had at least two more words to say, he was quickly silenced as Lindsay grabbed him by the collar with both of her hands. In an instant, Lindsay had lifted the short Ed boy by the shirt collar, choking the boy as she slammed his body up against one of the telephone poles lining the street.

"You little twerp!" yelled Lindsay in a distressed voice, "How the hell do you know that name!"

Eddy, afraid beyond belief and barely able to speak, grabbed Lindsay's hands with his, attempting to loosen the grip while pleading in a breathy voice.

"Don't kill me," said Eddy, "Put me down and hear me out, I promise I won't mention that ever again."

At that point Lindsay seemed to calm down. Her face transformed from an enraged glare to a neutral expression, at which point she rolled her eyes, and released her death grip.

Eddy lifted his hand to his chest, collapsing into his knees in an effort to catch his breath from being borderline choked to death. A few moments passed, at which point Eddy regained his poise, and decided to continue his conversation.

"You broke off your friendship because you're afraid of your mother, didn't you?" asked Eddy, "This whole arrogant, vain, spoiled rich girl bullshit...she's pushing it on ya, isn't she!?"

"You think you know me so well don't you?," asked Lindsay as she suddenly snapped her head in Eddy's direction, "Let me tell you something Eddy, you have no idea what my life is like, and it's none of your business anyway, so stay out of it!"

Lindsay turned away from Eddy while folded her arms, at which point the boy rounded Lindsay and took a position standing in front of her. As Lindsay continued to stare at the ground, Eddy looked up into her eyes with an expression of concern.

"Don't be so sure," said Eddy, "I know what you are going through, I feel your pain, I went through my whole childhood being abused verbally and physically by an adult. My older brother to be specific. He was always scamming me out of money, and used to call me names like pipsqueak, and torture me with games of uncle when my parents were home. He even locked me in the trunk of a car at one point!"

Eddy paced around Lindsay as he continued speaking.

"The anger kept building and building," said Eddy, "Out of frustration, and being taught from a young age that being a con-artist and a manipulator was the right thing to do, I began to act just like him. The scamming, the manipulating, the womanizing...I picked up all of those horrible traits like a champion, and it was all due to anger and fear installed in me by my brother. Everyone in the cul-de-sac hated me, I was lucky to have the friends I did, and even more lucky that they never gave up on me, because I treated them pretty bad sometimes too."

Eddy paused for a few moments.

"Two things in my life changed me," said Eddy, "The first was that I confronted my older brother, and my friends finally helped me stand up to him. I finally came clean that I made up all of the lies I told the cul-de-sac about my brother being cool, and admitted that he did nothing but torture me for all of those years."

Eddy glanced up into Lindsay's eyes.

"The second was Lee," said Eddy, "I started a lot of trouble between Edd and Marie when they first started dating, due to being jealous that he got a girlfriend before I did. I refused to admit I was wrong until Lee helped me understand the error of my ways. She never dismissed me as a lost cause, and she never gave up on trying to unlock the good person that was inside of me. She's an amazing person, and if she cares about you, all's you have to do is let her in to heart. I guarantee you that she will not rest until she's helped you."

Eddy reached into his back pocket, and removed a small envelope.

"And if you think Lee doesn't care about you anymore, you're a goddamn fool," said Eddy, "These are just a few of Lee's mementos from when you were friends. Before you let _her_ control your life."

Eddy leaned closer to Lindsay's face with a serious expression.

"It's time to make the choice," said Eddy, "Let her in to help you and stand up for yourself, or remain a miserable slave for the rest of your life. I can tell you from personal experience that option one is the way to go, but hey it's your life."

At that point, Eddy pulled away from Lindsay and took a few steps away from her, leaving the blonde diva in surprise. As Lindsay remained silent while continuing to stare at the ground, Eddy turned around one final time.

"Make the call," said Eddy as he flicked the envelope as if it were a frisbee, causing it to land on the ground directly in front of Lindsay's feet.

The small Ed boy then continued walking down Haventhought way, turning the corner at the cross street and disappearing from view. Lindsay remained still for a few moments, staring down at the little white envelope as the snow accumulated on the ground around it. She was eventually able to break herself from her thoughts, at which time she slowly retrieved the envelope from the ground, and proceeded to make her way back to her residence.

Once inside, Lindsay headed straight for her bedroom. She had kicked off her leather boots, removed her coat, and had once again taken her place laying on her bed. She had opened the envelope provided by Eddy, which contained copies of all of Lee's photographs of herself and Lindsay. She reviewed each photograph several times, continuously surprised by the fact that Lee had saved the same photographs as she did.

Within the pile, Eddy had also included a photograph of Lee's half of their drawing; a torn piece of paper depicting a crude sketch of a red headed, bespectacled stick figure in a green dress. The words "LeeLee and Lizzy Best Friends Fore..." we're spread out along the top, with the asymmetrical tear separating the last three letters.

As Lindsay observed this particular photograph, she retrieved her half of the drawing from her lock box; and proceeded to hold it up next to the photograph. As she observed the two pieces in such close proximity to each other, her bottom lip began to tremble. This was soon followed by a flow of tears, at which point Lindsay placed both the photograph and her half of the drawing down on the bed. She then placed her hands over her eyes, and began sobbing uncontrollably.

After around five seconds, her sobbing was interrupted by the sound of a car door slamming. In her haste to retrieve her scooter from storage, (after listening to the girls dilemma through her "spy speaker"), she had neglected to deactivate the device, allowing all noises within a two block radius to be heard through her room..

The sound of the car door was accompanied by a duo of feminine voices, voices Lindsay instantly recognized as Marie and May. She immediately re-donned her maroon coat, and made her way over to the window to investigate. Once there, she separated the curtains just enough to peer outside, at which point she caught a glimpse of the Kanker sisters. They had arrived home safely; May had parked the car in their driveway, just where it was before Lee unexpectedly commandeered it. The two girls were working together to carry Lee up the driveway, with Marie holding her under her armpits while May carried her by the ankles.

Lindsay continued observing the girls until the moment they disappeared into their house. She then let go of the curtain, breathed a sigh of relief, and returned to her bed.


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter 66**

As the snow fell on Rethink Avenue, the street was suddenly illuminated by a set of headlights, emanating from Tabby's Honda Civic. The vehicle rounded the corner, it's black top coated with a thin layer of snow. The windshield wipers maintained an unobstructed view, as it turned into the Kankers driveway, coming to a stop directly in front of the garage door.

May deactivated the windshield wipers, turned off the headlights, and switched off the ignition, at which time Marie opened the passenger side door and stepped out onto the snow covered driveway. As Marie placed her arms around herself to maintain warmth, May opened the driver's door and stepped out of the vehicle. The pony-tailed girl was breathing quite heavily as if she were in a state of panic, clutching her chest as she made her way around to the passengers side.

"Well May," said Marie, "I must say ya did a bang up job getting us home!"

"Says you!" yelled May, "I had no idea it was gonna snow that bad! I thought we were done for when I slid through that stop sign!"

"Whatever," said Marie, "We made it right? Look at it this way, you're barely fourteen and you already got experience driving a car on the highway, and in the snow. Hell, I won't even ever be able to drive because of this stupid eye, so I'd chock your experience up as a win."

Marie placed her hand on the rear door handle.

"C'mon," said Marie, "Let's get Rip van Redhead to bed."

May nodded as Marie opened the rear door, and unbuckled Lee's seatbelt. She then proceeded to grab Lee by the elbows and lift her out of the car, at which point May stepped forward and grabbed hold of her ankles. The two girls then worked together to carry Lee up the path leading to the front door of their residence.

Once inside, the girls proceeded to carry Lee up the set of five stairs leading to the upper level of the house, and down the hall to Lee's bedroom. Upon opening the door leading to the beautiful gingers room, the girls were met with the same surprise that Eddy was faced with an hour earlier; the completely disheveled state of Lee's room.

"Jesus Christ," said Marie as she gazed around the room.

"Man, she sure was mad!" said May, "Mommy and Daddy are gonna be pissed."

"Well they ain't gonna find out knucklehead," said Marie as she repositioned Lee back onto her shoulder, fully supporting her older sister while allowing May to let go of her ankles, "First things first, get the mattress back on the box spring so we can lay her down."

May obliged and lifted the mattress of off the wall, dropping it back onto the bed frame. After straightening out the bed sheets, Marie gently laid her older sister down on the bed, placing her head on a white pillow. Once Lee was settled down, Marie unzipped the zippers mounted on the sides of her black high heeled boots, and removed them from her feet. She then proceeded to unzip Lee's jeans, pulling them off the bottom of her legs. May, following Marie's lead, lifted Lee off of her pillow to a vertical position, and pulled her green sweater up over her head.

Marie then retrieved a set of sleepwear from Lee's drawer, consisting of an oversized pink t-shirt and flannel red bottoms. She spent the next few seconds working with May to dress Lee for bed, after which the girls laid Lee back to rest. Finally, Marie removed Lee's glasses, and placed them into their black case located on the night stand.

Once Lee was made comfortable, the girls spent the next few minutes cleaning up Lee's room, restoring it to the status quo. Following their clean up efforts, the girls made their way back over towards Lee's bed, and observed their sister sleeping peacefully for a few moments. As May drew Lee's quilt up over her body, tucking the beautiful girl under her covers, Marie touched her hand to Lee's face.

"Rest easy Lee," said Marie, "Don't you worry about a thing, we're gonna help you get through this, just like you always helped us. If I have anything to do with it, Lindsay's never gonna hurt you again, I swear it."

Marie turned towards May.

"C'mon May," said Marie, "We got some work to do. No more games, we're doing things our own way from now on. No one messes with our family and get's away with it."

May remained in her place as Marie exited the room, seemingly deep in thought. She then turned towards Lee for a few moments, observing her sister dreaming peacefully, after which she nervously followed her sister downstairs.

Around fifteen minutes had passed since the two youngest Kanker sisters put Lee to bed, and the girls had relocated downstairs to the den. Marie had commandeered the families desktop computer, sitting in the office chair located at the desk as May sat adjacent to her on a fold-up chair. As Marie frantically tapped the computer keyboard, May cradled a cup of tea on both of her hands, intermittently taking small sips as she silently observed Marie's revenge-driven scouting mission.

Marie typed a few words into the Internet search engine, after which she pressed enter on the keyboard. In an instant, the database yielded what seemed like hundreds of results; after a quick scan, it was apparent that none contained the information Marie was searching for.

"Damn it," said Marie as she smacked her hand on the table, "Nothing! I thought this bitch was supposed to be a famous model or something? I can't find nothing on her!"

"What did you type in?" asked May.

"Lindsay Statorowski, what else!" yelled Marie in a sarcastic manner, "The only Lindsay Statorowski that comes up in the area is someone 63 years old, I'm pretty sure it's not her."

As May took another sip of her tea, Marie began typing once again.

"Let's try...Statorowski, Peach Creek, City of..."

At that moment, the sound of the front door opening suddenly filled the air. Tabby and Rod had finally arrived home, and were conversing happily as they placed their coats into the closet adjacent to the front door. Tabby then called out for her daughters.

"Girls!" yelled Tabby, "We're home, where ya's at!"

"Down here Mom!" yelled May, at which point Tabby began making her way down the series of five steps leading to the lower level of the house. She was wearing a black gown, due to attending the holiday fireman's ball with Rod earlier that evening, and appeared quite stunning.

"Looking sexy Mom!" said Marie with a smile.

"Thanks Annemarie," said Tabby as she playfully struck a pose, "Looks like I still got it goin' on!"

The three women shared a laugh, after which Tabby noticed that the room was short by a factor of one daughter.

"Where's Annalee?" asked Tabby.

"In bed," said Marie, "She had a bad day..."

"A bad day?," asked Tabby, "What happened?"

"She and Eddy had a fight," said May rather absentmindedly, "She was really upset and took th..."

Marie quickly silenced her air-headed sister, who was just about to blow their cover regarding Lee's theft of Tabby's car.

"A huge hissy fit," said Marie, completing Mays thoughts, "She was really upset, so we made her some warm tea, and told her to lie down."

"Interesting," said Tabby, "What was the fight about?"

"It was all that no good Lindsay Statorowski's fault!" said Marie, "Ever since she moved here, Lee's every thought has revolved around their argument. She played a stupid prank on Lee, that managed to blow up into a full fledged fight between her and Eddy. I get it, Lee's really upset that Lindsay hurt her feelings all those years ago, but why the hell does she keep going back for more? She's done nothing but hurt us and Lee, and I for one am tired of it."

Marie turned back towards the computer.

"I'm done arguing, and I'm done handling it Lee's way," said Marie, "I'm taking action. Lindsay's gonna wish she never messed with anyone related to Annemarie Kanker."

Tabby pondered Marie's words for a few moments, appearing as if she were deep in thought, Eventually, she regained her composure, let out a slight sigh and made her way towards Marie. She kneeled down to her daughters eye level, as she placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Annemarie," said Tabby, "Why do _you_ think Annalee refuses to wash her hands of Lindsay?"

"Beat's me," said Marie, "I always thought it was some kind of coping mechanism, it's like fighting with her is some form of weird therapy to help her deal with her feelings. But that's just a guess, why else would anyone, especially Lee put up with her nonsense?"

Tabby nodded slightly, at which point she stood up and made her way towards the leather arm chair located in the corner of the room. She took a seat in the chair, crossing her legs as she folded her hands on her lap.

"Girls," said Tabby, "Let me tell you a story that may help explain why Lee is handling this the way she is."

Marie and May glanced toward each other for a brief instant, after which they turned their attention back to Tabby while nodding simultaneously.

"It's a story Poppy told me a long time ago," said Tabby, "An inspirational story, to help me cope with the bullying I dealt with in middle and high school. It's obviously been a long time since I heard it, so I'll add my own little personal spin when it comes to the minor details."

Tabby paused for a few moments, then began the process of telling her story.

"Once upon a time there was a little girl living in a big city," said Tabby, "Her name was Dorcas, though her family called her Dorrie for short. She was a heavyset girl, who was quite shy. The only friend she had was her sister Rina. In contrast to Dorrie, Rina was very outgoing, but eccentric, and being alone in the world never seemed to bother her much, because she always looked on the bright side of things."

Tabby removed a box of cigarettes from her handbag, and proceeded to remove one from the pack. She ignited the cigarette using a match, took a long drag, and continued her story while cradling the stick between her fingers.

"The two girls recently moved to a new neighborhood," said Tabby, "Of course, Dorrie was quite scared, as from past experience she believed it was only a matter of time until she was picked on once again."

Tabby paused briefly.

"Her life changed for the better that Sunday at her new church," said Tabby, "As usual, the children went to Sunday school after church, and Dorrie was quite overwhelmed by the prospect of being around a dozen or so unfamiliar children."

Tabby took a draw from her cigarette.

"During the group activities, Dorrie took notice that one of the girls was routinely isolating herself from the rest of the kids," said Tabby, "This particular girl was quite awkward. She had severely crooked teeth, wore thick glasses, wore a sweater that appeared to be several years old, and had awkwardly long arms and fingers. She was also very skinny, built like a breadstick in tennis shoes, and relatively tall for her age. Knowing how it felt to be left out, Dorrie introduced herself to the girl, who in turn introduced herself as Cathy. It turned out that the two girls lived down the street from each other, and after that day in church, the two decided to 'be weird together', and became the best of friends."

Tabby paused slightly to catch her breath.

"Despite being best friends, the girls were vastly different," said Tabby, "While Dorrie loved playing with dolls, doing her nails, and wanting nice clothes, Cathy could care less about such things. Her only interests were math and any kind of arcade game, be it video games or ping pong. Even though neither really cared for each others hobby, they'd still find fun in participating for the sake of spending time together."

"That sounds like how Lee and Lindsay were!" said May.

"Yep," said Tabby, "That's what reminded me of this story."

Tabby paused for a few seconds, after which she decided to continue.

"Anyway, the two girls remained friends throughout their childhood, and through the end of middle school," said Tabby, "Around the time the girls were in seventh grade, a new girl arrived at their school. Her name was Eliza, she was an immigrant from a far away country, and was having some trouble adjusting to her new surrounds. Cathy and Dorrie, knowing what it felt like to be left out, welcomed Eliza into their group of friends, and did everything they could to make her feel included."

"Eventually, Eliza wound up breaking out of her shell," said Tabby, "She joined the school cheer squad, and eventually rose to become one of it's most popular members. The time she spent with Dorrie and Cathy dwindled, and while she began picking on Dorrie, despite at one point being friends, for whatever reason she refused to pick on Cathy."

"So what's the point?" asked Marie, "It sounds like these girls are just destined to be losers in the eyes of everyone, just like we always were when we were kids."

"Patience Annemarie!" said Tabby, "Let me finish!"

Tabby regained her composure.

"Around the time the girls started high school, things started changing for Cathy," said Tabby, "She was able to have her crooked teeth corrected, which helped her with her self confidence, and was recruited for several school sports teams due to her long limbs and slim figure. Cathy was quite nervous about participating, but with lots of persuasion from Dorrie, she mustered up the courage to do it. It was the right decision, because despite not ever touching a ball before in her life, Cathy became the schools star athlete."

Tabby took another draw of her cigarette.

"Sports seemed to break Cathy free of any shyness and self-consciousness she previously held, and she became quite the well rounded individual," said Tabby, "Her grades remained exceptional, she was active on the school debate team, and all kinds of other clubs. She also got up the courage to ask a guy out that she had a crush on ever since she was little, and they remained together for the remainder of high school. She was larger than life, everybody loved her due to her genuine nice characteristics, and her willingness to help people. It's like she just had this charisma about her, it was amazing."

Tabby paused briefly, displaying a smile as she stared toward the opposite wall of the girls, seemingly pondering something within her psyche. With seconds, she returned her gaze toward her two youngest daughters, and continued.

"Of course, Cathy's rising popularity attracted the attention of the popular clique," said Tabby, "Eliza, who had dropped them like rocks for her place in the sun, invited her to join her group of friends."

"Let me guess," said Marie, "Cathy went with clique, and ditched Dorrie."

"Nope," said Tabby, "Cathy was a person of high integrity, and a loyal friend. While she remained quite popular, she refused to reap the so-called benefits, and never left Dorrie in the dust. Her boyfriend was quite the nerd as well, preferring mathematics and computers over sports. Of course, Cathy was constantly asked why she would waste her time on a guy like that, as if she were too good for him. She didn't care, she loved who she loved, and that was all that mattered to her."

Tabby took another draw from her cigarette.

"Unfortunately," said Tabby, "The idea of denying the opportunity to be a part of the popular clique did not sit well with Eliza, who began using her power to manipulate the masses against Dorrie and Cathy. Dorrie was targeted much more so than Cathy, as she was seen as the reason Cathy didn't want to associate to the popular clique. Things got really bad for Dorrie, she was beaten and verbally abused on a daily basis; her clothes were turn up, and her lunch was often stolen. But through it all, Cathy stood by her, sacrificing her chances for the supposed dream of a high school life to protect her best friend as much as she could. From the time they met when they were six, until they were young adults and...unfortunately lost touch, they were inseparable. Nevertheless, even though they never spoke again, Dorrie thanked Cathy every single day for holding her on a straight path, and credited her for the reason she was still living in the present day."

At the conclusion of Tabby's story, the redheaded woman developed a somewhat saddened expression as she stared towards the far wall. May took notice of Tabby's melancholy demeanor, and decided to interject.

"Mom," asked May, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," said Tabby as she turned back towards May, "I was just trying to remember if I forgot anything about the story."

Tabby put her cigarette out in the ash tray, after which she rose up from her chair.

"The moral of the story is that a true friendship lasts forever," said Tabby, "And if somebody has integrity, and a beautiful heart, they will never give up on those they love, even when things seem like they can't get any worse."

Tabby began speaking towards the stairs leading up to the middle level of the house. Upon reaching them, she turned back towards her daughters.

"Annalee has promised herself that she will never give up on Lindsay," said Tabby, "Just as Cathy in Poppy's story never gave up on Dorrie, even if it meant sacrificing everything and dealing with with adversity herself. Annalee is hurting because she feels powerless to help Lindsay, and it breaks her heart every day to see her former friend as a puppet to that overbearing woman."

Tabby paused briefly prior to continuing.

"I know you girls are hurting seeing your sister suffer," said Tabby, "But please keep my words in mind before you go seeking revenge."

Tabby turned, and began making her way up the stairs; however, upon reaching the second step, she turned around to deliver one final line with a sarcastic smile.

"Oh yeah, one more thing," said Tabby, "I usually back the Honda into the driveway to make it easier to pull it out in the morning."

The redheaded woman delivered a wink to the girls, after which she lifted her hand to her lips, pretending to run a zipper across them. She then giggled slightly and continued on her way up the stairs to get changed, leaving the girls in surprise.

A few seconds passed after which Marie glanced toward May with a somber expression.

"Well, May," said Marie, "What the hell do we do now?"

"I dunno," said May, "This whole thing is crazy. I just want to have a good Christmas with our family and friends, it's a shame all this bad stuff is happening right before the holiday."

"Yeah," said Marie, "It's our first Christmas as a family, and with our new friends in Peach Creek, and it's all been blown to shreds."

The two girls sat in silence for a few moments, after which Marie rose from her chair.

"I think I'm going to head over to Double Dee's house and apologize," said Marie, "I won't be able to sleep tonight knowing me and my Oven Mitt are having an argument."

"Good idea," said May, "Let's start fixing this thing one step at a time."

Marie nodded as May joined her on her feet, after which the two girls proceeded to make their way back upstairs to brainstorm their damage control plan.


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter 67**

The inside of Double Dee's house was quite toasty, in complete contrast with the frigid snowfall occurring outside. The intelligent adolescent had just finished up his all important daily shower, and had decided to spend his time enjoying a cup of warm tea as he relaxed on the couch in front of the lit fireplace.

While Double Dee's shower was typically his "happy place", on this particular day, showering proved to be an arduous task. With nothing but the sound of running water to occupy his mind, the young man spent his time contemplating the events that had occurred earlier that day. Double Dee was adverse to confrontation, and he hated the fact that he lost his temper with two his closest connections; this combined with the fact that he was forced to watch the holiday season be drawn into chaos brought him a significant amount of distress.

Regardless, Double Dee felt quite guilty regarding his public outburst, especially directing hostility towards Marie. The time that had passed between the confrontation and the present had softened Double Dee's anger, and he decided that it was finally time for him to clear the air with his black-haired beauty

With a slight sigh, Double Dee reached for his cell phone and began dialing Marie's phone number; however, he had barely typed the second digit when the the sound of the doorbell filled the air, interrupting his task.

"Now who on earth could that be at this hour?" asked Double Dee to himself as he rose from his seated position to answer the door.

As the door swung to the open position, a sense of relief overcame the sock headed boy; Marie, sharing similar feelings to Double Dee, had decided to pay him a visit. She stood on the stoop with her hands to her sides, staring at Double Dee with an expression of sadness. Double Dee returned the favor, standing completely still as he gazed into Marie's single exposed eye.

A few moments passed, at which point Marie's bottom lip began to tremble; this was followed by the Kanker girl suddenly lunging towards her boyfriend with open arms, proceeding to wrap them around his body in a tight squeeze. As Marie buried her face into his chest, Double Dee returned the embrace, placing his arms around Marie as he leaned his cheek on her head.

"Double Dee, I'm so sorry," said Marie, "I never meant for things to get this bad! I didn't want to lie to you, but I also needed to protect Lee. I should have done things different, I should have known that Lindsay wouldn't quit after losing the talent show. I should have listened to you, I should have tried to stop it. Now everything's ruined, and I don't know what to do. It's so frustrating."

Double Dee tightened his squeeze, holding his girlfriend for a few moments prior to responding.

"I must apologize as well Marie," said Double Dee, as he pulled away from the girl in an effort to make eye contact, "Please forgive my horrendous outburst this afternoon, but the truth of he matter is that my frustrations have been building up for quite some time as well. As you know, I absolutely despise conflict, and exacerbating it is definitely not within my character. You have no idea how happy I am to see you, as I would not be able to rest tonight knowing that you and I were potentially in conflict."

Marie sniffled slightly, after which she developed a smile.

"Funny," said Marie, "I just said the same thing to May before I came over. I guess great minds think alike."

"I suppose they do," said Double Dee as he released Marie, and touched his hand to her face. He then proceeded to step aside, holding his arm up as if to invite Marie into his house, "Come now, let's escape these harsh wintery conditions and enjoy some warm tea together. Perhaps we can also have a chat regarding how we are going to remedy this perplexing issue at hand."

"I'd like that Double Dee," said Marie as she began making her way into the house, "You always know how to make a girl feel better."

A few moments had passed, and Double Dee had brewed a fresh pot of tea for himself and Marie. The couple was currently sitting on Double Dee's couch, each holding their own mug while taking small sips of their warm drinks.

Marie had just completed telling Double Dee of the trials and tribulations they had faced regarding Lee's "great escape" in Tabby's car, up to and including May's crash course on driving and her little road rage incident. Although Marie was quite frightened during the prior that Lee's location was unknown, she delivered the story in a light-hearted fashion, demonstrating her ability to easily look back on experiences and laugh. Double Dee on the other hand was quite shocked at the ordeal; being a strong proponent of safety and rule following, the boy cringed at the fact that Marie and her sisters had not only driven without licenses (May being under aged), but also took a major risk by allowing May to drive on the expressway with absolutely no experience.

"My goodness!" exclaimed Double Dee, "I had no idea you had such a chaotic night!"

"Yeah," said Marie, "It was crazy."

"While I am most certainly not a proponent of risk taking or law-breaking," said Double Dee, "I am thankful to hear that you girls were able to locate Lee and bring her home safe and sound. I cannot even fathom the implications of the alternative scenario."

"I know," said Marie with a saddened expression, "I don't even want to talk about it, it gives me the chills."

The couple paused for a few moments, after which Marie decided to continue speaking.

"Well, Lee may be home safe and sound," said Marie, "But now we gotta figure out how to get her out of this funk. It's a shame, she has come so far, and her and Eddy have a great relationship. Lee loves him more than anything, although she still refuses to admit it, and it's a shame all of this nonsense with Lindsay completely uprooted it."

"It's truly a terrible predicament," said Double Dee, "Although, I am quite upset with Eddy for using Rolf for his personal gain, I truly believe his ultimate intentions were of a good nature. Eddy absolutely adores Lee, however years of living under his brothers menacing shadow have made it quite difficult for him to express emotion, especially those of a loving nature. Ignorant to Lee's past with Lindsay, Eddy assumed that Lee was being involuntarily tortured by the callous girl, and sought out to protect her to the best of his ability. Unfortunately, his tendency to make brash decisions formed one piece of the proverbial puzzle constituting this predicament."

Double Dee turned towards Marie.

"I am quite surprised that Lee has not opened up and told Eddy of her former friendship with Lindsay," said Double Dee, "Perhaps this entire crisis could have been averted if he knew the truth?"

Marie sighed.

"Perhaps," said Marie, "I've attempted to convince Lee to tell him multiple times, only for her to tell me to 'mind my business,' and not to worry about it. It's funny, I never really thought about why she is so hurt about it until tonight, after a great conversation with my mom."

"Interesting," said Double Dee, "Would you be willing to share?"

Marie took a small sip of her tea, after which she leaned her head back onto the couch. She began speaking as she stared towards the fire.

"My mom is pretty smart when she needs to be," said Marie, "I was completely blinded by revenge after this whole incident, and I'm pretty sure I was using every single brain cell I had trying to come up with a plot to get back at Lindsay for hurting Lee so bad. My mom was able to talk me out of it by telling me one of my Poppy's stories about friendship and bullying. For the longest time, I just assumed Lee played into Lindsay as a coping mechanism for her hurt feelings, but my mom opened my eyes to the truth."

Marie paused, simultaneously turning towards Double Dee.

"As you know, Lindsay's personality abruptly changed after her mother dragged her away from us that afternoon," said Marie, "It's like she was brainwashed or something, and Lee's frustration lies in the fact that she knows that the Lindsay she knew is no longer able to thrive. Lee loved her like a sister, and being her blood sister, I know that despite Lee being rough around the edges sometimes, she will do anything in her power to help somebody if she loves them."

Marie took another sip of her drink, as she glanced towards the fireplace.

"I have no idea what happened that day, or why her mother hates us so much," said Marie, "But my mom somehow seems to be aware that the Lindsay you see today is merely a voice piece for that crazy woman. She told us this story about these two girls that were best friends, and how one of the girls never gave up on the other, even if it meant sacrificing her hopes and dreams. She compared it to what we are seeing with Lee and Lindsay, and after thinking about it for a awhile, everything she said makes complete sense."

Marie took a pause to catch her breath.

"Lee knows, or believes, that somewhere in there is the little girl she used to have so much fun with back in kindergarten." said Marie, "For that reason, and the fact that she still considers Lindsay her best friend, she's refusing to give up on trying to help her, even if it kills her emotionally."

"My word," said Double Dee, "What a heartbreaking situation."

"It is," said Marie, "It hurts so much to see Lee suffering, especially after all she has done for us throughout our lives."

Double Dee pondered Marie's words as the black haired girl exposed eye began to develop a glassy appearance. After a few moments, Double Dee placed his hand on Marie's shoulder, causing the girl to turn back towards him.

"Marie," said Double Dee, "Perhaps it's time that we actively take action to remedy the situation? I would be happy to assist in any way I could."

Marie sighed.

"Double Dee," said Marie, "At this point, I don't think we have any other choice."

Marie paused as she took another sip of her drink.

"I need some time to think about how we are going to handle this," said Marie, "It's a shame all of this had to happen around the holiday, and frankly I'm sick of it. My suggestion is we try to make the best of things for now by getting all of our friends back on good terms with each other, and enjoying the winter ball and our Christmas party. There's also the matter of getting Lee and Eddy back on speaking terms, a task easier said than done given their stubbornness. Once the holidays are over, we can focus on trying to get Lee and Lindsay back together."

At that point Marie quickly turned towards Double Dee.

"But let me make one thing clear," said Marie, "I am doing this for Lee and Lee only. If whatever we come up with manages to work, and Lee and Lindsay do manage to become friends again, don't expect me to treat Lindsay as if she were a friend. I'm sorry, but no matter what her mother put into her head, there was no excuse to pick on us the way she did. It's going to take a long time for me to forgive her, if that is ever even possible."

At the conclusion of Marie's statement, there was a period of silence lasting several seconds as the two teenagers stared at the roaring fire. After taking a few sips from their mugs, Marie turned towards Double Dee with a smile.

"So Oven Mitt," asked Marie, "Do you forgive me for putting you in that that awkward position?"

"I suppose I do," said Double Dee with a smile, "What choice do I have?"

"Good answer," said Marie in a playful manner as she leaned into Double Dees face, "Enough talking, let's make up for real."

Before Double Dee could respond, Marie grabbed onto the neck of his shirt. She proceeded to pull him down onto the couch as she leaned backwards; simultaneously initiating a passionate kiss.


	68. Chapter 68

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello everyone!_

 _It's been quite the ride hasn't it? We are just about to eclipse Bad Girls with Big Hearts in terms of chapter number, and let's just say I'm having a blast!_

 _Just wanted to take some time to thank everyone for reading, and because I probably won't update again until the weekend, I wanted to wish all of the people of the United States a happy Independence Day. May you all have a great and safe day!_

 _Here we go!_

 **Chapter 68**

The following day was quite uneventful for the denizens of Peach Creek. In the aftermath of the huge fight that occurred in the cul-de-sac the previous day, a somber shadow seemed to cast it's veil over the neighborhood, spidering out as if it were a crack on a car windshield struck by a rogue pebble.

The weather seemed to correspond with the overall gloomy feel of the neighborhood; the temperature during the day was quite chilly, and the sun was obstructed by a thick layer of gray clouds. The little amount of snowfall that had accumulated the previous night had turned to a grey slush, with most of the white stuff already having been washed away by an earlier drizzle.

Unfortunately, the sudden onset of melancholy happened to coincide with a night most of the kids had been looking forward for weeks. The Peach Creek High School Winter Ball was set to take place tonight at a large party hall located in the business district, the same hall used by the school for their junior and senior proms.

As the sun began to set, the street lights lining Haventhought Way had begun to activate, illuminating the asphalt with a cream colored glow. It was five o' clock p.m., and with two hours left until the start of the dance, many of the teenagers were hard at work preparing for the special night. As the young men a final fit up of their formal suits, ensuring that they appeared presentable, the ladies donned their elaborate ball gowns, styled their hair, and applied their makeup.

Lindsay Statorowski was no exception. She had spent the last hour in the master bedroom, preparing herself for the big night, and currently stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection with a neutral expression. The girl has traded her typical outfit for an ornate, floor-length evening gown, ice-blue in color, and accented by silver trim in the area of the thin shoulder straps and waist. On her feet were a pair of matching high heeled shoes, which appeared to sparkle under the light emanating from the wall mounted lamps. While the skin of her upper arms was exposed, she had elected to conceal her forearms with a pair of white evening gloves, custom made for her due to her unusually long fingers. Finally, her hair, which usually hung in loose waves, had been curled rather tightly, and appeared slightly shorter than usual.

Despite the young girls love of all things to do with fashion, hair, and makeup, it was quite obvious that Lindsay was not quite happy with her current situation. Two issues exacerbated this; the first being the continuing struggle of living a lie, her fight with Lee, and her preoccupancy with the lecture she had received from Eddy the previous night.

The second was the fact that she was not alone in her dressing endeavor; Edyta had volunteered to assist in her efforts, much to Lindsay's chagrin. As Lindsay stared into the mirror with a face devoid of any emotion whatsoever, Edyta paced back and forth behind Lindsay, inspecting her dress for any loose threads or awkward wrinkles, all the while displaying a menacing smile. After a few moments, the petite woman ceased her pace, and took a standing position directly next to Lindsay, her head barely reaching Lindsay's shoulder due to their height difference. As she stared into the glass, she began speaking to Lindsay through the mirror, with a sly smile.

"Well, I think we're all set with the wardrobe." said Edyta in a slow, heavily polish-accented voice, "But clothes are only one part of puzzle, I hope you've been practicing stage presence, and come up with a good plan to ensure your win , yes?"

Lindsay did not respond; preoccupied by her own thoughts, she continued to stare into the mirror.

"Hello!?" yelled Edyta as she reached up and grabbed hold of Lindsay's face, promptly turning it toward her, "What have you lost your hearing, I asked you a question! Did you figure out how to get crown on your head tonight!?

"Yeah," said Lindsay as she involuntarily rolled her eyes, "I did."

At that point, Edyta's face turned to anger, as she simultaneously grabbed an empty bottle of perfume off of her vanity.

"Look you little bitch," yelled Edyta, "You'd be wise to take things seriously from now on, I won't be as nice with you as I used to be, especially after that stunt you pulled last Spring. Crying to them may have got you back near the trash you seem to be attracted to, but now I know I have to watch very carefully.

Edyta released Lindsay's face, and began pacing around the girl as she continued her lecture.

"Face facts," said Edyta, "I own you, and there's nothing you can do or say to change. You thought you could escape, but you only make things worse for yourself. I'm still here, and I'll always be here, and if you try to change, so help me not only will those nightmares you told them come true, but you will also have much more to hide than those bony forearms of yours!"

At that moment, Edyta threw the perfume bottle across the room causing it to shatter upon hitting the wall; an act which caused Lindsay to suddenly stand up straight, as if she were a soldier standing at attention. Edyta repositioned herself in front of Lindsay, staring up into her eyes with an angry expression as she continued her rant.

"You only exist to keep the reputation of Edyta Babik alive," said Edyta, I expect nothing less from anyone associated with me. And if you think the man downstairs or that red-headed lice head can save you, you are stupider than you look. You already ruined both of their lives through your actions, so just accept fate. You put yourself in this situation."

At that moment, Edyta stood on her tip toes positioning her face as close to Lindsay's as possible.

"And guess what?" said Edyta, "No matter how much you wear that coat, or try to do the finance, you will never be her. And if you think she's guardian angel, like you told counselor, you are mistaken. She will never be able to help you...because you killed her."

Edyta snickered as she backed away from Lindsay, leaving the blonde girl in quite the agitated state. Edyta's final statement seemed to cause a tear to appear in one of her eyes, as she slowly clenched both of her fists at her sides, a sign of an internal struggle to repress her anger.

"So we have deal?" asked Edyta as she turned back towards Lindsay, "You win, or you kiss all of them goodbye. You choose!"

At that moment, the sound of an electronic telephone filled the air. The sound was in fact emanating from Edyta's cell phone, which was currently stuffed into the side pocket of her handbag. The slim woman promptly reached into the pocket, and removed the device. After a quick check of the screen, she began making her way towards the door leading into the hallway.

"I have to take call," said Edyta, "You get earrings on, and I'll be back to do one final check of your dress."

With that, Edyta exited the room, closing the door behind her to isolate the interior of the room from the hallway. Lindsay listened carefully as the door latched, and Edyta answered the phone, speaking to the other party in her native polish as if to keep her conversation secret.

Unfortunately for Edyta, she neglected to realize that Lindsay had become very familiar with the polish language, somehow becoming fluent without her ever knowing. As Lindsay pretended to adjust her hair, staring into the mirror with a neutral expression, she kept a keen ear on the conversation. After a few moments of listening, Lindsay decided to comment to herself regarding one of Edyta's responses.

"Another one," said Lindsay, "If she thinks she's going to use any of his money for that, she's got another thing coming."

A few moments passed, at which point Edyta ended her phone call and re-entered the room in a speedy manner.

"I have to go out for the rest of the night," said Edyta as she grabbed her purse off of the bed, and proceeded to make her way back towards the door, "Tell your father that I didn't have time to make any dinner, so he's going to have to order pizza."

As Edyta opened the door, she turned to deliver one last line to Lindsay.

"I trust you know what to do," said Edyta.

Lindsay nodded her head up and down, at which point Edyta adopted a smile.

"Good girl," said Edyta, "I look forward to seeing that crown when I get home."

Edyta then turned and exited the master bedroom. Lindsay listened as the sound of her heels clicking on the floor diminished, eventually disappearing completely as she made her way down the stairs.

Upon hearing the sound of the front door closing, signifying that Edyta had taken her leave for the night, Lindsay turned back towards the mirror. While Lindsay by all means looked amazing, the beautiful giant did not feel amazing in the slightest. Throughout the night, Lindsay had been haunted by Eddy's words regarding her relationship with Edyta, specifically the ultimatum that she would have to choose between being controlled by the overbearing woman, or standing up for what she believed in.

As these thoughts raced through her head, she began to analyze her reflection; the dress she had worn was not of her choosing, rather it had been hand picked by Edyta for the occasion. The dress was not the only aspect of the ensemble that had been chosen entirely by Edyta; the shoes, evening gloves, and hairstyle had been dictated as well.

Upon this realization, Lindsay adopted an expression of anger. Suddenly, the tall girl dashed towards the door leading out into the hallway, and proceeded to slam it open. She briskly walked down the hallway, eventually making her way towards the locked door of her bedroom. With a turn of the key, the blonde girl unlocked the door and entered the room, closing and locking the wooden panel behind her.

Once inside, Lindsay kicked off the blue high heeled shoes she had been forced to wear, as she made her way towards the door leading to her private bathroom. As she reached the door, she unzipped the back of her dress, removing the garment, and angrily tossed it into the hamper located across the room. She then proceeded to activate the bathroom shower head, and used it to wash all traces of hairspray and other products that had been previously applied to her licks.

After a few moments, Lindsay exited the bathroom, wearing nothing but two towels; one large and wrapped around her body, and the other small and wrapped around her hair. She then made her way to her walk in closet, activating the solitary lightbulb using it's pull string, as she approached the large cabinet in the rear.

Using one of the keys she guarded with her life, Lindsay proceeded to open the cabinet. With Rolf's tuxedo now gone, only three items remained within. These objects consisted of a large, ornate picture frame sitting against the back wall, placed in such a way that the picture it contained was obscured from view, and two elaborately designed dresses; one frilly and pure white, and the other lavender in color.

Without hesitation, Lindsay gently removed the hanger containing the lavender dress from it's mount. She held the dress out in front of her for a few moments, admiring it's smooth surface; this particular dress was strapless, and made of shiny satin. The lavender color was accented by a silver diamond, placed just below the top of the dress around the area of the sternum. Attached to the hanger were a pair of mauve evening gloves, as well as a pair of silver high heeled shoes; both of which seemed to complete the ensemble perfectly.

After spending a few moments examining the dress, Lindsay closed the door to her cabinet, locked it, and made her way back to her room with the dress in hand. She then approached the mirror, and held the dress up in front of her. As expected, the dress fit her frame perfectly in terms of girth; however, the dress appeared to be a few inches too long, even for Lindsay's unusually tall frame.

With that realization, Lindsay gingerly placed the beautiful dress onto her bed, and re-entered her closet, returning with a small kit containing sewing accessories. The blonde diva spent the next twenty minute performing a temporary modification to the length of the dress, in an effort to ensure that it properly fit her height. Once complete, she closed the sewing kit, and proceeded to slide the dress onto her body. Using a back scratcher as a makeshift hook, she zipped up the back of the dress, after which she turned towards the mirror to examine her work.

Once she ensured that the dress was properly hemmed, Lindsay began working on her next task. She reached underneath her bed, and pulled the her silver lockbox out from underneath. After a quick entry of the required combination, she opened the box and retrieved two items; an old hardback book with the letters "CHS 2000!" written on it, and a small jewelry box.

Lindsay placed the book on her vanity, and proceeded to page through it; the book appeared to be a high school yearbook of sorts, as each page contained large photographs depicting several students, with the names of the club or team they represented displayed above.

As Lindsay skimmed through the book, she paused briefly upon reaching a certain group of photographs. On the white page in front of her were two pictures depicting large groups of teenagers; one labeled Girls Basketball, and the other labeled CHS Cheer squad. She touched her hand to the photograph of the girls basketball team with a somber expression, ignoring the partially destroyed photograph of the cheer squad below; the face of one of the girls appeared to have been carved out with a sharp tool, as if someone were attempting to remove their likeness from the picture.

Nevertheless, Lindsay continued searching through the yearbook, eventually coming across what she was searching for. With a determined expression, Lindsay propped the book up on her vanity for easy viewing, at which point she removed the white towel from her head, and proceeded to work on her hair while staring at the book.

In a matter of minutes, Lindsay had completed the task of molding her waves into the desired style; a high "up-doo" of curls, secured behind her head by a silver retainer. After a quick inspection, Lindsay proceeded to open the small jewelry container she had removed from her lock box, revealing a set of diamond earrings. She removed the large, golden hooped earrings that typically adorned her ears, and replaced them with the diamonds, adjusting them to ensure they hung straight.

Finally, Lindsay returned the jewelry box and book to her safe, locked it, and stowed it back under her bed for safe keeping. She then spent fifteen minutes in front of her vanity, applying her makeup and perfumes.

Once complete, Lindsay completed her look by sliding the pair of light purple evening gloves onto her arms. She then approached the mirror to examine herself, and spent a few moments staring at the glass in silence. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Lindsay had made a crucial choice of her own, and she felt quite proud of herself for doing so. As she gazed upon her reflection, she uttered a few words to herself.

"I'm going to this dance on my own accord," said Lindsay, "It's time to stand up for myself, one step at a time...and what better way to do so than to honor you."

At that point, Lindsay lifted her right hand in the air. She proceeded to curl her fingers over her thumb, which strangely protruded out from behind her pinky finger in lieu of being hidden. She remained in this pose for a few seconds, after which she turned, and promptly exited her bedroom.

Downstairs, Chuck was quite busy in his den. An avid fan of Star Wars, the eccentric man had just completed his latest project; a lego reconstruction of one of the most famous spaceships of the franchise. Chuck examined his work as he lifted the model off of the coffee table, and turned towards the wall of the den opposite of the door, lined by several book shelves containing various other lego models.

As Chuck eyed his collection, seeking the perfect position for his newest model, a familiar voice filled the air from behind him.

"Daddy," said the soft gentle voice of Lindsay.

"Hey Scout!" said Chuck as he began to turn towards his daughter, "You're just in time. I need that keen eye of yours to tell me where I should put the Millenium Fa..."

Chuck was not able to complete his sentence, as he appeared to enter a state of shock upon laying eyes on his dance-ready daughter. In the midst of his surprise, he accidentally let go of his model, causing it to fall to the floor. As he continued to gaze upon his daughter, he slowly lifted his hand up to his mouth, placing it over his lips as his other hand trembled.

Lindsay remained silent, staring at her father with a neutral expression. She finally decided to break the silence in a gentle voice.

"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you on such short notice," said Lindsay, "But there's a dance at my school tonight, and I was wondering if you could drive me?"

Chuck paused momentarily, prior to responding.

"No problem honey," said Chuck in a rather emotional tone, "I'll be happy to give you a ride. Let me grab the keys to the Cadillac Car and I'll be right out."

"Okay Daddy," said Lindsay, "Thanks, see you out there."

Lindsay turned and began making her way towards the garage, feeling quite relieved that she was able to tell her father the truth about her whereabouts. As Lindsay exited the room, Chuck turned back towards the wall, placing his hand over his mouth as his eyes began to appear glassy. Eventually, the man snapped out of his emotional trance, grabbed his keys, and followed Lindsay out to the garage.


	69. Chapter 69

**Authors Note:**

 _Wow, Miracles and Mistletoes has the same stats as Bad Girls with Big Hearts. Awesome!_

 _I hope everyone it applies to had a great holiday. Things are really starting to get interesting in the story, and I say we are about three quarters of the way through. We still have a lot to cover, and these next few chapters are about to get REALLY interesting. I promise, I'll try to keep you all on the edge of your seat, I hope you're enjoying the read as much as I'm enjoying writing it._

 _Anyway, on to the next._

 **Chapter 69**

Back on Rethink Avenue, the young men of the cul-de-sac were quite busy themselves, making final preparations for their journey to the winter ball. Prior to the blowup that had occurred the previous day, the five core boys of the street, Ed, Edd, Eddy, Kevin, and Rolf, had decided to get together a few hours before the dance to help each other prepare for the big night.

Fortunately, the fight did not completely ruin the endeavor; all of the boys, with the exception of Eddy, had gathered at Double Dee's house as planned, taking up post in Double Dee's living room. In preparation for the dance, Double Dee had offered Ed the opportunity to use his shower, on the condition that Ed be sure to clean it thoroughly, and place all of the soaps and shampoos "back into their proper designated positions" after use. Although Ed had increased the frequency of his bathing after entering a relationship with May, the boy was still far from an expert at personal hygiene and occasionally needed a push from his friends.

Downstairs, Kevin had just completed securing the top button of his white undershirt, as he gazed into Double Dee's wall-mounted mirror to admire himself. The red-headed jock had removed his red ball cap in preparation for the formal dance, allowing his usually visible red bangs to fly free while, allowing exposing his remaining hair, which was styled in a rarely seen buzz cut. As his magenta tie hung loose around his neck, he inspected his black pants and shoes, as if to ensure no dust was present. He then proceeded to snicker as he flexed his biceps in the mirror, hoping to see the fruits of his new workout routine that was designed specifically to compete with Eddy.

As Kevin continued to flex, he noticed a pair of legs making their way down the stairs, in the reflection. As if to avoid being caught expressing vanity regarding his muscles, he suddenly turned to face the stairs, pretending as if he were in the process of tying his tie.

Double Dee soon reached the bottom of the stairs, turning to face his friends with a smile. The boy was fully dressed; his formal wear consisting of black dress pants, and shiny black shoes. He had donned a black dress belt, above which was a white, neatly-pressed button down shirt, tucked into his pants. On top of his white shirt, a light blue vest made of silk stood out against the plain background, above which was a matching bow tie. On top of the vest, Double Dee had slid into a black overcoat, buttoning the bottom two buttons as men usually did when standing. Finally, the boy had traded his typical ski cap for a black top hat, (in an effort to maintain formality while still hiding his scarred head), and had opted to carry one of his fathers walking sticks as an accent to his outfit. The cane's shaft was solid black with a silver ball shaped handle, shining brightly under the lights of Double Dee's living room as he gripped the stick in his hand.

"Whoah Double Dee," said Kevin as he laid eyes on his friend, "Looking sharp man!"

"Thank you for the kind words Kevin," said Double Dee as he glanced at himself in the mirror, "But are the top hat and cane a tad too much?"

"No man, it totally suits you!" said Kevin, "A guy like you can pull off nice duds like that with no problem, and it works cause it's actually a formal dance. Not like Eddy when he wore a white suit and hat to the eighth grade spring dance. Me and the guys had a field day, he looked like a freakin pimp!"

Kevin began laughing heavily, reimagining Eddy's absurd fashion antics that he had displayed the previous spring; an appearance that resulted in playful teasing from his friends and a refusal from Lee to dance until he changed into something more sensible.

Double Dee couldn't help but giggle, remembering his good friends absurdity. The laughter was quite short lived however, as the boys were suddenly reminded of the fight between Eddy and Lee the previous day. As Kevin returned to grooming himself in the mirror, Double Dee turned his attention towards the couch, and to his surprise spotted Rolf.

The foreign boy was still very much heartbroken over his " breakup" with Lindsay; he sat on the with his chin resting in his palms, staring at Double Dee's wall with an emotionless expression. He had outfitted himself in the tuxedo that Lindsay had procured for him a few days earlier, and was completely dressed with one exception; his sky blue bow tie had yet to be tied.

"Rolf?," asked Double Dee, "I was quite certain that you decided not to attend tonight's dance. I am most grateful to see that the events that occurred yesterday afternoon did not spur your willingness to engage in a fun-filled night with your good friends."

Rolf sighed.

"Rolf's heart is quite broken over the loss of his beautiful Schmetlockin." said Rolf in a melodramatic manner, "Rolf's welcomes his attendance of this hullabaloo, as this may be Rolf's last chance to lay his orbs of vision on his golden haired angel, when she takes the stage to earn the prize her and the blood-haired Kanker sister want so dearly. At least Rolf will have one last chance to see her smile..."

At that point Rolf placed his eyes into his hands and began sobbing ever so slightly. Double Dee was quite disheartened, confused on how to handle this predicament.

"Dude, get over her," said Kevin as he turned to face the boys, "She was a bitch anyway."

"While I abhor references comparing human females to terminology associated with the females of canids," said Double Dee, "I am afraid I must agree with Kevin. I am not sure if you and Lindsay are ever meant to be a couple, but I am most definitely sure that you should not stop living and enjoy yourself regardless."

Double Dee turned away from Rolf and glanced towards the ceiling.

"I for one am quite disappointed in Eddy's actions," said Double Dee, "Marie has informed me that Lee is refusing to attend tonight's dance, and has spent the entire day in her pajamas sulking in the den, of course due to the same circumstances that managed to bring Rolf into such an emotional state. I attempted to contact Eddy via telephone this morning, but I was unsuccessful. He did not return any of my calls, so I can only assume he is quite upset as well, and most likely will not be attending the ball tonight. How absolutely heartbreaking."

"You for once are wrong, head-full of brains Ed boy," said Rolf as he lifted his head to make eye-contact with Double Dee, while speaking in a somber tone, "The small fry Ed boy paid a visit to Rolf's house and atoned for his misdeeds. Rolf's culture typically calls for a duel to settle any wrong doings. However, because Rolf is much too weary, he was willing to accept the Ed boys earlier apology, and merely offered the hammer of discipline."

"Interesting," said Double Dee, "Please excuse my opinions, but I'm quite surprised you were able to make amends with Eddy in such a quick timeframe, with absolutely no qualms."

"The deed with the small fry Ed boy is done," said Rolf as he stared forward, "No amount of shenanigans nor bloodshed will bring back the love of Rolf's golden-haired Angel."

There was a slight pause as Rolf reburied his eyes into his hands, leaving Double Dee and Kevin to stare at his display with expressions of confusion. A few seconds passed, at which point Double Dee made his way to the mirror to adjust is hat, sharing the fixture with Kevin who was currently working on securing his tie. As the boys continued their preparations, Double Dee decided to begin another conversation, speaking to Kevin through his reflection.

"Well I suppose that's one issue solved," said Double Dee, "I am glad to hear that Eddy had taken it upon himself to apologize to Rolf. I can only hope that he's taking action to remedy his relationship with Lee as well. We wouldn't want this to spider any further than it already has."

"Tell me about it," said Kevin, "Nazz has been acting weird all season, but the whole superhero thing we saw yesterday took the cake. I tried talking to her about it, but she just keeps telling me she made a mistake and she'll explain later. She feels really bad about all of that fake news, but she was just so mad at Lindsay that she kind of lost control. I think she's more embarrassed than anything."

Kevin pulled the knot securing his tie up to his collar.

"Whatever," said Kevin, "Woman are too confusing sometimes. Anyway, I told her I'd meet her at her house in five minutes, her Dad's driving me and Rolf to the dance."

Kevin turned towards Rolf.

"Ready to go pal?" asked Kevin.

Rolf sighed, at which point he sluggishly rose off of the couch.

"Yes Boy Kevin," said Rolf in a melancholy manner, "Rolf is ready."

As Rolf began making his way towards the door, hanging his hands to his sides while dragging his feet, Double Dee noticed that the slim boy had not yet made up his ice blue bow tie.

"Excuse me Rolf," said Double Dee as he walked towards the boy, "It appears that you have forgotten to properly complete your bow tie. Please allow me to assist."

Double Dee took hold of Rolf's bow tie with his hands, and began the process of tying the somewhat complex knot. As he passed the ends over each other, Rolf was reminded of the moment Lindsay assisted him with the process a few days ago, at which point his eyes became teary again.

"You're skills with tying the heads of the neck serpent remind Rolf of his first date with Rolf's Sweet Babushka," said Rolf, "Her hands, smooth as the skin of the tomato, and her nails as pink as Wilfred's skin, soothing Rolf by gently caressing his face."

"Rolf, please remain focused," said Double Dee, "I can't properly secure your garments if you continue to move your nec..."

At that point Rolf suddenly reached his hands up, took hold of both ends of Double Dees bow tie, and proceeded to pull on them tightly; this resulted Double Dees neck being several constricted, causing his head to inflate like a balloon in a cartoonish fashion.

"And yet, they are also powerful," said Rolf, "Boldly squeezing Rolf's neck with all of their might, just as Rolf's Nana squeezes the teats of the dairy cow when milking."

Rolf released Double Dee from his grip, much to his to his relief. The foreign boy then turned away from Double Dee, adopting a determined expression.

"Rolf cannot turn a blind eye to his affections!" yelled Rolf as he began making his way towards the door, "Rolf must make things right! He will woo his Beautiful Schmetlockin back into his gretchens of affections, and he will wait no longer!"

At that point Rolf opened the front door, and exited Double Dee's residence, closing the door behind him. Kevin and Double Dee spent a few moments starting in surprise at the display they had just witnessed, after which Kevin began making his way towards the door.

"I guess some things never change," said Kevin sarcastically, "Anyway, I gotta go meet Nazz, see ya at the dance Double Dork."

"Take care Kevin," said Double Dee, "I look forward to seeing you shortly!"

Kevin followed Rolf's lead, exiting Double Dee's house out into the cold winter air. As the front door latched, Double Dee returned his attention to the mirror in an effort to readjust his bow tie, which had been disrupted by Rolf's charade.

As Double Dee made his finally adjustments, he detected the sound of his wooden stair treads creaking, prompting him to turn in the direction of the noise. In a matter of seconds, Ed has completed his descent, fresh out of the shower and completely clothed in his formal wear.

Ed had traded his usual attire for a black dress tuxedo, just as all of his friends had;but had elected to don a dark red vest and tie, in an effort to match the dress May was set to wear tonight. In addition, his usual short, messy hair had been parted on the side using gel, allowing it's rarely seen red hue to be displayed. The boy appeared much taller and skinnier in the perfectly tailored tuxedo than he did in his typical large green coat.

As Ed moved his arms around, attempting to alleviate the temporary discomfort caused by the stiff suit, Double Dee approached his friend.

"My word Ed!" said Double Dee, "That suit looks fantastic on you!"

"Thanks," said Ed, " I hope my Little May likes it, cause it's really stiff and itchy."

"I'm certain she will!" said Double Dee, "Those symptoms should quell shortly as the jacket becomes more broken in with use."

Ed made his way over towards the mirror to inspect himself.

"Me and May chose these colors after we watched 'Attack of the Scarlet Bat Maidens' on tv the other night," said Ed, "Watch out Double Dee, for the tuxedo of tribulation may consume me, transforming me into the ruthless bloodsucking night crawler Taccuba!"

Double Dee giggled.

"Ed, your imagination never ceases to amaze me!" said Double Dee.

"I wish Eddy was here to see!" said Ed, "He'd have something funny to say."

Double Dee sighed prior to replying.

"It's unfortunate that what was supposed to be a joyous night has been precluded by nothing but disaster," said Double Dee, "The whole argument between Lee and Lindsay, Eddy's absurd failure of a plan to use Rolf against Lindsay, and finally the resulting fight that occurred yesterday have brought me nothing but undue stress during a period which love and goodwill is supposed to thrive."

Ed looked upon his friend with a melancholy expression as Double Dee continued.

"Most of all," said Double Dee, "My dreams to make Marie's Christmas a special one have been dashed by fate. I was a fool to think I could raise enough money to pay for Marie's corrective surgery, but I suppose it's the thought that counts."

Double Dee paused briefly.

"I shall provide Marie the share I have accrued with an explanation," said Double Dee, "It's most certainly better than nothing. More importantly, sparing the details, Marie and I have decided to take it upon ourselves to attempt to restore rightful order to the cul-de-sac. I simply cannot bear to witness our friends at odds with each other, especially around the holiday season."

Double Dee brushed off his top hat, after which he whipped around to face Ed with a smile.

"But I suppose that has to wait for now", said Double Dee, "It's time to meet our lovely ladies, and escort them to the dance. Are you ready Ed?"

Ed stood still as if he were dumbfounded; a typical instance due to Ed's extremely overactive imagination. However, in this scenario Ed's thoughts were not of a fantastical nature; rather, he was currently contemplating Double Dee's words, feeling quite disheartened that his friend always worked so hard to help and please his peers, but seemed to always be on the losing end of things.

"Come now Ed, let's not dawdle," said Double Dee, breaking Ed out of his thoughts as he glanced at his gold watch, "We promised the girls we'd meet them at 6:30, and tardiness is not respectful in the slightest."

Witnessing Double Dee check his wristwatch provided Ed with the perfect opportunity to execute an action he had been planning for the last few days . While usually slow when it came to wit, Ed quickly conjured up an excuse to return to Double Dee's bedroom.

"Ooh wait up Double Dee!" yelled Ed, "I'll just be a second, I forgot my watch up in your room!"

Before Double Dee could respond, Ed had already run wildly up the stairs, and down the hallway towards Double Dee's room. The large boy slowly pushed open the wooden door, and made his way across the room to Double Dee's vanity.

Ten seconds was all it took for Ed to find what he was looking for; a white envelope (yet to be sealed) containing a red Christmas card. Ed proceeded to slowly remove the card from the envelope and open it, revealing the series of twenty dollar bills Double Dee had received from Chris for his work ethic, along with a few handwritten words:

 _Merry Christmas Marie,_

 _Love,_

 _Edd_

Ed glanced upon the card with a smile, at which point he reached into his pocket and retrieved his own series of twenties; the share he had received from Chris. Meant to pay for May's automatic pitching machine, Double Dee's predicament seemed to touch Ed emotionally. He decided that his friend need the money much more than he did.

"Merry Christmas Double Dee and Marie," said Ed as he secretly placed the money into the card. He then placed the card back into the envelope, exited the room, and made his way back downstairs to join his friend.


	70. Chapter 70

**Chapter 70**

Across the street from Double Dee's house, the holiday spirit seemed quite alive at the Kanker-Lonergan residence. The sun had disappeared early, as it did every night during the winter, allowing the various multi-colored Christmas lights lining the eaves of the house to shine brightly, an excellent juxtaposition to the light emanating from the large tree in the center of the cul-de-sac.

In contrast to the bright exterior, the living room of the residence was rather dim and quiet. Rod was on night shift at the firehouse tonight, and unfortunately would not be able to see his daughters off to the dance. As the girls prepared for the dance on the upper level, sliding into their ornate ball gowns while applying makeup and perfumes, Tabby sat alone in the living room. She was currently wearing a black short sleeved shirt, gray sweat pants, and brown bedroom slippers. Her red curls were tied up into a tight bun, as she relaxed in the solitary armchair, with a cigarette smoldering in the ash tray on the adjacent table.

A single lamp was the only source of light, aside from the flicker of the big screen television, bathing the room in a dim orange glow while providing a somewhat cozy feel. While the television was tuned to Badger News Network, Tabby could care less about the current events being displayed on the screen. She was quite preoccupied, cradling two small 6"x8" photographs, which she had retrieved from her purse, in her right hand. As she observed the photograph with a neutral expression, she reached for her cigarette, picking up the slender item and taking a drawer as she examined the Polaroid.

As Tabby placed cigarette back into the ash tray, she turned the first photograph over. On the back was a hand written note that read:

 _T n' T_

 _We're Dyn-O-MITE!_

Tabby sighed as she read the words, after which she placed the unknown, upside down photograph behind the second. The drama that occurred the previous day, and the upsurge of Lee's emotions seemed to trigger a desire for Tabby to take a trip down memory lane; for the second picture depicted an infant version of Lee, outfitted in a green onesie with only a few sparse ginger curls on her head. Lee was cradled in a loving pair of arms, as her right hand appeared to reach out and touch the woman's (presumably Tabby's) pregnant stomach.

Just as Tabby's eyes began to tear up, the sound of a wooden door latching emanated from the upper level. In a flash, Tabby stuffed both of her articles back into her purse, and turned her attention toward the stairs, as she knew her two youngest daughters would be descending shortly.

As expected, Marie and May made their way down the stair in sequence, stopping at the bottom of the stairs with smiles. Marie had selected an ice blue, floor length gown, the straps of which fully covered her upper body. The portion of the gown below her torso was of a lighter shade of blue, almost white in color, and was accented by a pair of silver high heeled shoes. She had elected to maintain her side-swept bang hairstyle, (as she really had no other options), but donned a pair of silver earrings for the occasion. Finally, the necklace Double Dee had made her many months ago, displaying the word "Annemarie" dangled from her neck, in full display in front of the blue bodice.

May, in complete contrast to Marie, had selected a wine red gown. The gown was strapless, the top of which encircled May's body below her underarms; high enough to avoid exposing any cleavage, but low enough to entirely expose her freckled shoulders. The floor length gown had a small tail of sorts, which extended around two feet behind May as she walked in her silver high heeled shoes. She had removed her beloved ponytails, allowing her hair to dangle freely in loose curls, framing her ice blue eyes (made more noticeable by her eyeliner) perfectly.

"Well, well, well," said Tabby sarcastically as she stood up with a smile, "I never thought I'd see the day that you two tomboyish witches would be all dressed up like princesses and going to a formal ball."

"What's wrong mom!?" asked Marie playfully, "Afraid we look hotter than you did last night at the Fireman's ball?"

Marie and May simultanelously pirouetted, after which they struck poses reminiscent of models. Tabby giggled as she approached her girls.

"All jokes aside, youse two look beautiful," said Tabby, "You all set to have fun tonight?"

"Yep," said May, her braces glistening as she displayed a toothy smile. Her smile was short lived however, as she remembered the proverbial elephant in the room, and accordingly gazed up the stairs towards her older sisters door.

Tabby took notice of the girls sudden change of demeanor, and decided to address the issue.

"How's she doing?," asked Tabby, "Any luck getting her out of her funk?"

"No, but we tried," said Marie, "She's hot and cold, one minute she's crying uncontrollably, and the next she's grabbing her phone to check for a call from Eddy, then screaming when she doesn't see it."

"She's not going to the dance," said May, "It's gonna be so sad having to go without her, we do everything together!"

Tabby sighed, and placed her hand on May's shoulder.

"I know Annamae," said Tabby, "Annalee's just going through a lot right now, and she really needs this time for herself. The best thing you could do for her is to go out and enjoy yourself tonight. She'd be even more upset if she found out her mood spoiled your fun."

May and Marie shared a glance for a few moments, after which they turned their attention back to Tabby and nodded.

"Well," said Tabby as she glanced at the wall-mounted clock, "It looks like it's about time for youse to go. You don't want to leave your boys waiting!"

"Okay," said May as she and Marie began making their way towards the door.

"We'll be back later!" said Marie as she grasped the silver handle.

"Have fun girls!" yelled Tabby, "Knock em' dead!"

Tabby shot a small wink towards her two youngest daughters causing them to smile. Marie then proceeded to open the door, allowing May to exit before her. As Marie lifted May's tail, as to prevent it from dragging on the ground, she closed the door behind her, isolating the cold air from the warm Kanker residence.

As the front door latched, Tabby remained still, pondering her thoughts for a few moments. Eventually, she turned her attention up the stairs, staring intently at the red door acting as the entryway into Lee's bedroom. She then proceeded to make her way to the kitchen, and removed two mugs from the china cabinet. Five minutes was all it took for her to brew two cups of tea, adding sugar and milk into hers, while leaving milk out of the other. She took both cups in her hands, and proceeded to make her way up the stairs to the upper level of the house.

Upstairs, Lee had effectively barricaded herself in her bedroom. The ginger girl had refused to get dressed, and remained in her pajamas all day; a pink t-shirt, flannel bottoms, and bare feet. Absolutely no attempt had been made to style her ginger curls, and they appeared quite frizzy, with locks flying in several different directions typical of "bed head".

Lee was currently sitting on the edge of her bed, grasping a red book that appeared to be some sort of a photo album. Beside her, on the surface of the bed, were several of the "artifacts" she kept as a reminder of her friendship with Lindsay, including the blue bow, as well as all of the photographs. The room was completely dark, with the exception of a small amount of light entering the window, due to a tiny patio light. The room was not devoid of silence however, as Lee had activated her radio; the local radio station played Christmas music around the clock during the holiday season, and tonight was no exception. As slow tears cascaded down Lee's face (clear due to being devoid of any makeup), the radio played a classic slow ballad, sung by a female choir:

 _Silent Night, Holy Night_

 _All is calm, All is bright._

 _Round yon Virgin, Mother, Mother and Child_

 _Holy infant so tender and mild_

 _Sleep in heavenly peace..._

As Lee continued to sob, a small rap sounded on the bedroom door. At the sound of the knock, Lee jumped up, promptly shoving all of her belonging concerning Lindsay into the vanity drawer. She then proceeded to slide the photo album she had clutched in her hand under her bed, hiding it from view as she returned to her position on the edge of the bed. After a slight sniffle, she decided to answer the knock in a wavering voice.

"C..come in," said Lee.

The door slowly opened with an audible creek, pushed to it's fully open position by Tabby's elbow. The red headed woman entered the room, walking towards her daughter with two steaming cups of tea, as the radio continued to play.

"Your sisters left," said Tabby in a gentle voice, "I thought I'd make us some warm tea, and we could have girl time."

Tabby handed Lee her cup of tea, and proceeded to take a seat on the bed next to her daughter.

"Mind if I sit down?" asked Tabby.

Lee shook her head from side to side, after which she turned her head away from Tabby; the hard girl found it difficult to show tears to anyone, including her own mother.

"You know," said Tabby as she took a sip from her mug, "This was Poppy's favorite Christmas song. Sometimes it makes me sad to listen to it because he loved it so much. As much as he loved dressing as Santa Claus, and all of the pagan traditions, he was always sure to remind us what this holiday is all about to us..."

Tabby turned towards her oldest daughter.

"The girls told me that you're questioning your faith in God," said Tabby, "Is this true?"

Lee sniffled slightly.

"Maybe," said Lee, "What does it matter anyway? My boyfriend hates me because I've been treating him like crap, and now all of my friends think I'm some sort of psycho. I'm worthless."

Lee turned towards Tabby, tears streaming down her face once again

"What kind of God let's that happen, Mom?" asked Lee, "Why would He let _that_ happen to me all of those years, why would He finally give me a boyfriend that I can't trust, and why would He take my best friend away from me? I loved her like a sister, and she loved me. But then she was taken away from me...and now I'm forced to watch her play the puppet every day to that nasty woman she calls a mother. I know that's not her! Do you know how much that hurts seeing your best friend being forced to live a lie, and watching her suffer each and everyday being powerless to stop it!?"

At that moment, Lee re-buried her face into her palms, as Tabby stared at her in a disheartened manner. The woman then whispered to herself under her breath as she stared at the opposite wall.

"Believe me, I know...,", whispered Tabby, after which she turned back towards Lee. She proceeded to place her arm on Lee's shoulder.

"Annalee," said Tabby, "What's your full name?"

"Annalee Grace Kanker," said Lee, "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, you know that the last part your and Annamae's names came from MomMom and Granny Lonergan, respectively, and the first of all of yours from Anna Pavlova." said Tabby, "But do you have any idea why I decided to give you the middle name Grace?"

Lee shook her head from side to side as Tabby leaned slightly forward.

"It's because the moment you were born," said Tabby, "I looked towards Poppy, who was supporting me through your birth, and said 'this little girl is my saving grace'"

Lee lifted her head, turning towards Tabby with an air of surprise.

"Now I've been wrong about a lot of things in life," said Tabby, "But let me tell you something, I was definitely not wrong in that assumption. When I held you for the first time, and looked into those little blue eyes, I realized that that life was worth living. While I was pregnant with you, I had to watch Aunt Kate suffer with drug addiction, something that eventually killed her a few months before you were born. That along with a good talking to from...someone else, and the fact that I knew I was carrying you, made me quit my destructive lifestyle. I knew that being a mother meant I had a purpose in life, and it was you that spurred that change in me. Life was finally worth living again, and it's all because you are sitting right here."

Tabby paused briefly before continuing.

"By the grace of God, you were fortunately blessed with two little sisters," said Tabby, "I'll admit, due to a lot of issues I had to work out while you girls were small, I wasn't the most attentive of mothers. I know it's somewhat hypocritical, considering what I just told you, but I did everything I could to stay strong, even though all of my loved ones, Mommy, Poppy, Aunt Kate and more, passed away before my eyes."

Tabby turned towards Lee.

"I was in a depression," said Tabby, "You picked up on it, and did everything you could to help me. Don't think I wasn't awake those nights when you pulled the blanket over me after I cried myself to sleep, and kissed me on the forehead."

Tabby giggled slightly, as the emotionally drained Lee remained neutral, continuing to listen to what her mother had to say.

"Most importantly," said Tabby, "Those two little sisters you were blessed with never had to go a day on this Earth without ever feeling like they were not loved. You were a natural, from learning to make them breakfast knowing I had a bad night and needed sleep, to changing the bed sheets when May had a little accident. I watched you walk them to school, teaching them not to talk to strangers, teaching them right from wrong, and showing them how to be loving towards each other."

Tabby adopted a severely somber expression, swallowing prior to continuing.

"While I absolutely hate that it happened to you, and have to be haunted with the fact that it did happen every day," said Tabby, "You even sacrificed your own physical and mental well being with the thought of protecting those two girls."

A slight tear began rolling down Tabby's cheek as she turned back towards her oldest daughter.

"So, before you go around calling yourself worthless," said Tabby, "Just imagine how many lives you have made better just by existing and being you. If you didn't exist, I'd have lost two daughters completely to the streets, and they probably would either be dead or in prison by now. If you weren't born, I would have continued my destructive lifestyle, having no real reason to live..."

As tears slowly ran down Tabby's cheeks, she continued in a soft tone of voice.

"You Annalee are my saving grace," said Tabby, "You are an angel on this earth, sent here to help and inspire people, to teach and help others, even at your own expense. I can't thank you enough for all you have done and sacrificed for our family...for your sisters, and me..."

Tabby reached out, embracing Lee in at tight squeeze. After a slight pause, Lee returned the embrace, burying her face into her mother's shoulders while attempting to hide the tears that were streaming from her face.

"I love you baby girl," said Tabby, "Everything's gonna be alright."

Lee replied with a heavily muffled, "I love you," that she managed to released in between sobs, at which point Tabby pulled away to look at Lee in the eyes.

"Just look at this is just another challenge on the road of life that you have to rise to meet." said Tabby, "And I'm sure you'll have no problem doing so."

"I know," said Lee as she sniffled, "But it just hurts so bad. Now I not only lost my best friend, but I also treated Eddy, the one true...great man I have in my life horribly because of it, and now I'm afraid that I can't trust him in the future. I just wish things were different, I wish I could help her, but it doesn't look like I'll ever be able to."

Lee turned to wards Tabby.

"I can't go tonight," said Lee, "I'm not ready to face them yet. I need some time to myself."

"Annalee," said Tabby, "I'm not here to tell you to go to the dance. In my opinion, I think some time to yourself to reflect is something you really need."

Tabby took a sip of her tea.

"But I will tell you this," said Tabby, "Things happen for a reason, and even though some things may seem bad at the time, in hindsight it might be the kickstart needed for some positive change. Trust in your faith, and everything will fall into place."

Tabby rose up off of the bed, and proceeded to walk towards the door leading out into the hallway.

"I'll let you rest for a while," said Tabby, "If you get bored, you can always come downstairs. We can break out some of the old board games and play a few rounds if you want. Or if you want to stay up here and relax, you can do that too. It's up to you."

Tabby opened the door, after which she turned back towards her daughter one last time.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," said Tabby, "I love you Annalee."

"Love you too mom," said Lee as she smiled ever so slightly in the direction of Tabby.

Tabby nodded her head, after which she exited the room, slowly closing the door behind her.

Lee remained still, focused on the door with a somber expression, after which she fell backwards onto her bed, placing her hands over her eyes as she contemplated her mother's words.


	71. Chapter 71

**Chapter 71**

Unlike the previous night, the business district was abuzz with crowds and automotive vehicles. The teenagers of Peach Creek were on their way to the Winter Ball, set to take place at a large, popular catering hall on the Main Street. A seemingly never-ending stream cars pulled up to the front of the venue, double and triple parking on the street to unload their passengers, consisting of countless young women wearing evening gowns of varying colors, as well as young men dressed in tuxedos.

Inside the building, Double Dee and his oafish friend Ed had made their way up the ornate stairs to the second floor. Located at the top of the stairs was a small antechamber, the walls of which were lined with places for guests to hang their coats, as well as the ladies to place their handbags. Branching off from this room was a long hallway, leading to a water fountain, as well as the men's and women's bathrooms. The walls of the area were colored in a hue of Prussian blue, the bases being lined with decorative wood paneling. On the far side of the room was a set of large, double doors, made of cherry, and decorated with golden handles. Above the doors was a sign reading "Waterfall Room", identifying the name of the venue. Directly next to the doors was a large sign, reading "Welcome Peach Creek High School Winter Ball" with an arrow pointing towards the doors.

"Well Ed," said Double Dee as he pulled the door to the open position, "After you my dear friend."

Double Dee held the door in the open position while simultaneously stepping out of the way, allowing Ed to enter the hall proper. The large Ed boy passed through the threshold, dragging his feet on the floor due to not being used to walking in dress shoes, after which Double Dee promptly followed suit.

Upon entering the chamber, the boys paused, gawking at the sight of the cavernous room. The vaulted ceiling was around twenty feet high at it's maximum, tapering down to around fifteen feet high near the ends of the room. Two large crystal chandeliers hung from the cross beams. The lights had been turned down, bathing the room in a dim light; the boys eyes required momentary adjustment to the sudden reduction of intensity upon entering.

On the far side of the room, a stage had been set up, upon which the DJ had taken his place, using his mixture to play a popular modern dance hit as he cued the next song up through his headphones. He had strategical placed his table in the corner of the structure, allowing plenty of room for the ceremony that would crown the queen of the winter ball, set to occur in around thirty minutes.

In front of the stage was a large open area, designed to serve as a dance floor. Around fifty students had already arrived, and had immediately opted to take advantage of the area to mingle while moving their bodies to the music. Closer to the door, a series of round tables have been set up, where the students would take their seats for dinner, and observe the ceremony. Along the wall behind the dinner area was a long table on which sat a few coolers containing drinks, a punch bowl, and a buffet line. The caterers were making final preparations to the spread of roast beef, baked ziti, and meatballs, a common selection in catering halls around the area of Peach Creek.

Gathered around the hall, away from the crowd on the dance floor were several smaller crowds consisting of various school cliques who had gathered together to mingle. It did not take long for the two Ed boys to spot one such group, consisting of their girlfriends and Nazz ( wearing a bright yellow ball gown). The boys smiled as they slowly began making their way towards their acquaintances, excited to begin their fun filled night.

As the boys walked towards their girlfriends, Nazz and Marie were engaged in a conversation; they were positioned such that Nazz's back was to the boys, leaving Marie's face in full view. Nazz was in fact providing rational behind the charade she had displayed yesterday, and was in the process of apologizing to Marie for causing more trouble than was already present. As Nazz told the story, Marie flashed several facial expressions of surprise, ultimately sharing a giggle with the blonde girl at the conclusion.

As May passively observed the conversation, the sight of the two Ed boys approaching from across the room caught her eye. The sight of Ed in a tuxedo drew a smile from her, as she gracefully tapped Marie on the shoulder, breaking her from her conversation with Nazz. Marie turned towards May, as if to ask "what's up" at which point the brace faced girl pointed in the direction of the Ed boys.

At that point, Nazz excused herself from Marie to find Kevin, promising to join her at the dinner table with a hug. Just as Nazz departed, the Ed boys reached the Kanker's position, planting their feet on the floor as they stared at their girlfriends with dreamy smiles.

"Good evening ladies!" said Double Dee in an exuberant manner as he placed his walking stick on the floor, "Marie, you are looking absolutely lovely this evening."

Marie smiled as she approached her boyfriend, moving her face closer to his.

"My oh my look at my Little Dreamboat," said Marie, she checked out Double Dee's outfit, "So formal and gentlemanly, I like it!"

"I was quite fearful that it was a tad too formal," said Double Dee, "But it appears that I am receiving quite the positive response from all parties, so I'd say it was an excellent choice."

Double Dee and Marie shared a smile as the latter grabbed his hands in hers. As the two continued their greeting, Ed had approached May to begin a greeting of their own. Despite dating for several months, the couple had quite a bit of shyness when it came to romantic interactions. This shyness was exacerbated by the fact that both were in formal wear; aside from the party where they shared their first kiss as a couple, neither boy nor girl had seen each other in anything more than their ordinary clothes. Wearing an elaborate dress was something rarely seen from May; her ordinary summer sundress was pushing it for the shorts and t-shirt loving tomboy. The same was true for Ed, who absolutely despised giving up his cherished striped shirt and green coat. However, both parties could not deny that other other looked spectacular on this particular night.

Due to these circumstances, both boy and girl began to blush both as they stared towards the floor, wondering just what to say. Eventually Ed decided to be the first to break the silence.

"Umm...hi May!" said Ed.

"Hi Ed!" said May, "What's up?"

"Nothing much," said Ed, "Your dress looks like the blood spilled from the Dragon of Gorthogen on last nights episode of Trails of the Lost Dominion."

To any other girl, Ed's tirade would potentially be considered an insult. However, May being just as eccentric as Ed, took it as a highly romantic compliment.

"You like it?" asked May, "I was afraid it was showing too much of me up here."

May pointed both of her hands inward towards her shoulders.

"Nope, it's perfect," said Ed, "You look...hot..."

Ed blushed at the completion of his sentence, placing his hand behind his head and rubbing his scalp.

"Oh Ed," said May, "You sure know how to treat a girl. I think you look handsome, hot and anything else you want to use to describe it."

At that point May leaned up and kissed Ed on the cheek, causing him to giggle. The display of affection attracted Marie's attention, who promptly decided to play a joke.

"Alright Goofballs," said Marie, "Save all the touchy feely stuff for after the dance!"

"Up yours Marie!" yelled May playfully as she discreetly stuck her middle finger up towards Marie behind Ed's back.

"Look at you," said Marie with a smile, "Putting that guy in his place while we were bringing Lee home last night really loosened you up didn't it?"

At the sound of Lee's name, an expression of curiosity overcame Double Dee. He then decided to pose an important question.

"Speaking of Lee," said Double Dee, "I can't help but notice her absence. Has she ultimately decided not to attend?"

May and Marie shared a expression of sadness, after which Marie decided to reply

"Unfortunately, it looks that way," said Marie, "When we left, she was still hulled up in her room all depressed. It's so sad seeing her that way."

Marie paused briefly before interjecting with a question of her own.

"Have you heard from Eddy?" asked Marie.

"I'm afraid not," said Double Dee, "The only one of us who has heard anything was Rolf. Much to my surprise and excitement, Eddy apparently paid a visit to Rolf to apologize for his misdeeds, and stated that he had several errands to run this afternoon prior to the dance. What those may be, I haven't the faintest."

"Well it's not looking good for a triple date tonight," said Marie, "And it's looking even worse for Lee's chances at winning the crown. She can't win if she ain't even here!"

"Yeah," said May, "And look who just walked in!"

May pointed towards the door, causing everyone to divert that attention in that direction. As Marie glanced around Double Dee, her expression transformed into that of disgust as a familiar, tall and lanky girl came into view.

Lindsay had arrived, dressed just as she was when she requested a ride to the dance from Chuck. She was making her way through the crowds, her back arched in a somewhat concave fashion as typical of the divas stride. She carried a dress purse in her right hand as she remained laser focused on one of the dining tables, donning her typical scowl as she did so.

"Wow," said Marie, "No remorse whatsoever. I betcha all's that's on her mind is that crown. And take a look at that dress, that type hasn't been made since the late nineties. Typical of her to try to make some kind of retro fashion statement."

Double Dee decided not to replay to Marie's statement, and continued to observe Lindsay as she made her grand entrance. She had only taken a few steps when she was suddenly rushed by a trio of three girls, each wearing dresses of different colors. The girls were high ranking members of the cheer squad and, as such, felt that it was their job to flatter Lindsay with compliments.

Unfortunately, these actions, based off of fear of the aggressive giantess, as well as the fact that they could eventually lead to their own expensive handbags, did not seem to be as welcome from the diva on this particular night. As the girls continued to follow her, Lindsay's mouth began to form into a grimace, as her face began to turn a shade of red. Without hesitation, the blonde girl suddenly whipped around to face them.

"All of you, just shut up!" yelled Lindsay, "I want to be left alone, and I expect not to see or hear from any of you for the remainder of the night. By the way, you girls better grow some spines if you want to be anything but little peons in life. Want some advice on how to carry yourself as a lady? Well here it is...BE A LEADER NOT A FOLLOWER!"

Lindsay turned and continued on her way, leaving all of the girls completely stunned. As Lindsay reached her destination, the girls slowly but surely dispersed, each going their separate way. Lindsay proceeded to pull one of the wooden chairs out, and take a seat as she folded her arms, staring across the room with a scowl.

"See that," said Marie, "That's exactly why I don't think she and Lee will ever be friends ever again. Just look how she treats her friends, those girls do nothing but bend over backward for her, and she just threw them out like trash."

At that moment, Marie grabbed Double Dee's hand and began pulling him in the opposite direction.

"C'mon," said Marie, "We promised we'd worry about that after tonight. We came here to have some fun and that's what we are going to do."

As the Ed's and the Kankers set off to begin their night of fun, Lindsay continued staring towards the wall with her arms folded tightly. A few seconds passed, at which point she uttered a few words to herself.

"Best piece of advice I can give to you girls," said Lindsay, as she was reminded of the ultimatum Eddy had delivered to her the previous night, "Now will I be a hypocrite, or will I heed my own words."

Lindsay glanced upwards towards the ceiling.

"It's time for me to make the call."


	72. Chapter 72

**Chapter 72**

Twenty minutes had passed since the Eds had arrived at the dance, and the large hall had become quite crowded. The DJ had announced the opening of the buffet a few minutes prior, prompting the student body to form a single file line in front of the long buffet table.

All of the members of the Rethink Avenue cul-de-sac were currently sitting at their large dinner table, dining on the cuisine provided by the towns top catering company. In the midst of her meal, Nazz paused the friendly conversation to refill her drink cup. The somewhat ditzy minded blonde girl rose up from the dinner table and made her way across the room towards the punch bowl.

Upon reaching the large, glass fixture, Nazz retrieved the accompanying ladle, and a paper cup. As she lifted the ladle, along with a helping of punch, the sound of an individual closing the lid of one of the coolers filled the air. She promptly turned her head to the right, at which point she spotted Johnny. The boy had came to the dance despite not having a date, electing to wear a blue suit. Interestingly enough, the boy had also arrived without his ever present companion Plank, truly a rare sight.

As Johnny proceeded to open his soda, displaying an expression of sadness, Nazz observed the boy in an equally melancholy manner. She and Johnny had not spoken since the moment they were aggressively dismissed by Double Dee, and Nazz decided that it was finally time to clear the air. She retrieved her cup of punch, and slowly made her way to Jonny's position.

"Hey Jonny," said Nazz.

"Hey Harley," said Jonny, "Or should I say Nazz."

"Pretty big screw-up, huh?" asked Nazz.

"Yeah," said Jonny in a disheartened manner, in complete contrast to his usual cheerful persona.

"I can't help but notice you left Plank at home," said Nazz, "That's really unlike you dude."

"I guess," said Jonny, "I made up my mind, I'm ditching the whole superhero thing. I'm no crime fighter, I made things a whole lot worse than they already were. And I brought you into my little pointless game, when you were only trying to do the right thing."

Jonny turned towards Nazz.

"I've done a lot of thinking over the last few months," said Jonny, "I'm getting older, and I'm starting to realize I can't go around talking to a piece of wood forever...I think I'm going to let Plank go..."

"Jonny..." said Nazz as she placed her hand over her mouth.

"The truth is," said Jonny, "I know everybody in the cul-de-sac thinks I'm weird, going as far to use me to annoy people, like the Ed's did to make money that one time, and back when Julia visited for spring break. I never really had a real human friend, but I really liked the time we spent together last spring trying to 'get rid of' Julia. Even though it was for a 'bad' purpose, things worked out great in the end and I had a lot of fun, I didn't want it to end. That's why I blackmailed you, to have an excuse to hang out with you...and to have an actual person to talk to."

"Wow Johnny," said Nazz, "I'm really surprised. Why didn't you just tell me that from the get go!?"

"I dunno," said Jonny, "I'm just a weird kid who talks to a piece of wood. I don't have anything to give back, so why bother being honest."

Nazz sighed.

"Listen Jonny," said Nazz, "I have to admit, I was really annoyed with being Harlequin Honeydew at first, but after we started investigating a potential real issue, I started to have a little fun."

Nazz paused briefly, as she put her hand on Jonny's shoulder.

"And I have to agree," said Nazz, "You probably shouldn't carry Plank around forever, or spend all of your time playing superhero. But that doesn't mean that those things have to go away. Dude, you probably have the craziest, most awesome imagination I've ever seen in a person. I mean, like, you made up a whole superhero team around your own theme, complete with two sidekicks and all of those gadgets. That's something to really be proud of."

Jonny remained silent as Nazz continued her words of encouragement.

"I suggest you try your hand at writing," said Nazz, "It will be a great way to channel your creativity. Perhaps a comic book, about Captain Melonhead and Splinter, with Splinters alter ego being some kind of wood/boy hybrid or something."

Nazz smiled as she reached her hand towards Jonny.

"While you may be forced to grow up on the outside," said Nazz, "Plank, Splinter, Captain Melonhead, and Harlequin Honeydew will always live on...in here."

At that point, Nazz briefly touched her hand to Jonny's chest in the area of his heart, causing the bald headed boy to smile.

"You know what," said Jonny, "That's a really good point, maybe I do it!"

"You should," said Nazz, "But don't think you can save all of it for yourself, I'll be over for a bit every weekend to write the Harlequin Honeydew parts. No one can portray her like the real thing!"

Nazz reached her hand out, as if to request a hand shake from the eccentric boy. Jonny returned the favor, touching her hand with his as the two shared a smile.

Their shared moment was quickly interrupted, as a loud yet smooth sounding voice penetrated through the sound of the soft rock music. The voice was that of the DJ, who had decided that it was about time for the nights main event:

 _Alright Alright Is Everyone having fun tonight!?_

The entire hall replied with an exuberant "Yes!" in unison.

 _Good, very good. While all of you fresh young faces are enjoying the wonderful dinner prepared by our friends at the Waterfall room, I think it's about time for the event you have been waiting for all season. Yes, that's right folks, it's time to crown the Peach Creek High School Winter Ball Queen._

The entire hall erupted in a series of applause.

 _At this time, I'd like all of those standing to take their seats and direct their attention to the stage._

"Well, it's time," said Nazz.

"Yeah!," said Jonny, his exuberant personality fully restored, "I think I'm gonna blow this pop stand and get started on my comic book. I'm not really a suit and tie guy anyway!"

"Go for it dude!" said Nazz as she began making her way back to her seat, "I'll see ya around!"

"You bet!" yelled Jonny as he began making his way towards the door, "See ya later Nazz, have fun tonight...YAHOO!"

Nazz giggled as she watched Jonny happily run to the exit at what seemed like light speed. She then turned and made her way back towards her table of comrades.

As Jonny ran down the stairs, and out the doors leading onto the Main Street, he neglected to realize that he had passed a familiar face. In his excitement, he barely avoiding colliding with the small, stout frame of Eddy, who had finally arrived at he dance hall. The boy appeared to have been sweating bullets, as if he had ran for miles to the venue. He was wearing a well tailored black suit jacket and pants, under which he wore an emerald green vest, matching tie, and white undershirt. His thin hair had been slicked backward with gel, and his black shoes appeared to glisten under the street lights. Most notably, he was currently holding his right hand high in the air, clutching the metal hook of a clothes hanger. The hanger seemed to contain a long article of clothing, fully concealed by a black zipper bag. Due to Eddy's height, the hanger required to be held high, in order to prevent the bag from dragging on the ground.

Eddy simply had too much on his mind to pay any attention to Jonny's exit, as he briskly made his way into the building and up the stairs. He proceeded to hang his garment bag on one of the available hooks in the hall antechamber, after which he made his way towards the double doors leading into the Waterfall Room. Slowly and carefully, he pushed the door open just enough to observe the surroundings of the entire room.

As the DJ continued to hype up the crowds in anticipation of awarding the winter ball crown, Eddy frantically searched the room for his friends. After around ten second of searching, he came across his peers, seated at a round table in the center of the room; he also took notice that Lee was nowhere to be found.

In addition, another quick scan of the room revealed the presence of Lindsay. The blonde girl was seated at a table consisting of several unidentified students, merely due to the fact that they needed a seat at that time. She refused to socialize, maintaining a stoic expression as if she were deep in thought.

Realizing that the DJ was about to start the ceremony, Lee's absence, and Lindsay's presence, a disheartened expression overcame his face. The short Ed boy closed the door, and returned to one of the decorative benches situated in the antechamber, at which point he proceeded to sit down and bury his eyes into his hands.

Back inside the hall, Double Dee and Marie, as well as Ed and May stared across the table with saddened expressions; their eyes all being focused on the two empty chairs they had reserved for Lee and Eddy.

"Well, there's that," said Marie, "She got what she wanted, the crown is hers."

"I'm afraid I must agree," said Double Dee, "All we can do is make the best of our situation, and enjoy the remainder of the night."

At that point, the DJ decided to officially begin the ceremony.

 _Alright, it's time for the moment you have all been waiting for all season._ _As you know, you have been voting all season for the special young lady that you feel best exemplifies the spirit of the season, and now it's finally time to crown the victor. With that, we have managed to narrow down the playing field to two finalists, who I am sure all of you are quite familiar with. I am happy to say that our two finalist are not only winners tonight, but also stunned the crowds in the annual holiday talent show, earning their places as the two finalist during that event as well._

The DJ paused for a few moments as he raised a small cue card up to his eye level.

 _First without further ado, let's welcome our first contestant. Hailing from the city, this young lady is active in the Peach Creek High School Cheer Squad, a talent that earned her second place in the Holiday talent show. She enjoys the finer things in life, such as fashion, modeling, and designer handbags. Please welcome, Ms. Lindsay Statorowski!_

At that point, the DJ cued up a track that consisted of a funky guitar riff playing a loop (Readers, please refer to the YouTube Video "Um Jammer Lammy Loading Screen Music" to get an idea of what I'm imagining here). As the music played, the audience began to clap, as many turned their heads towards Lindsay's position.

Lindsay herself did not move a muscle, as she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she had not even realized her name had been called. With a quick nudge from one of the students sitting next to her, Lindsay snapped back to reality, at which point she slowly rose from her seat, and walked toward the stage, staring forward as if she were a ghoul.

It didn't take long for Lindsay to climb onto the stage, taking her place slightly left of center. As the spotlights shined down on her, the normally confident Lindsay did not seem to be herself. She was not smiling, standing with her hands on her hips, or striking any other form of flirtatious pose. Rather, she remained neutral, her eyes panning around the room at rapid pace as if she were searching for someone.

At the Rethink Avenue table, all female parties, stared at the stage with expressions of disgust. Lindsay's actions have caused some form of harm to each of the girls in the past, and all three a relatively good reason for being upset with her. In contrast, the boys all seemed to react in a different manner; Double Dee simply observed the ceremony, conveying a subtle sadness, while Ed and Kevin remained indifferent, choosing to continue eating their dinner. Rolf however appeared quite focused on the stage, completely fixated on his "Beautiful Sweet Babushka". His eyes appeared glassy as he smiled, enamored by how pretty Lindsay appeared under the spotlights.

At that moment, the DJ decided to continue with the ceremony.

 _Now let's meet our next finalist. Also hailing from the city, this young lady loves mathematics, cooking, and ballet, a talent which managed to win the hearts of hundreds after she and her boyfriend gave a stunning performance of the Nutcrackers Grand Finale at the holiday talent show. Please welcome, Ms. Annalee Kanker!_

The DJ once again cued up his funky guitar rhythm as he awaited Lee to stand and take the stage; however, after around five loops of the music, the DJ began to realize something was awry.

 _Annalee Kanker...is there an Annalee Kanker in the house?_

As the DJ stood and began glancing around the hall, Lindsay continued to discreetly pan her eyes around the venue, adopting a nervous expression as she did so.

After about three more loops of the music, Marie decided enough was enough. She slammed her hand on the table and stood up, rolling her eyes as she did so.

"She's not here!" yelled Marie, "She decided not to show up!"

After her rather brash declaration, Marie promptly returned to a seated position, folding her arms angrily as she did so. The entire table' attention, (with the exception bring Rolf) turned their attention to Marie, with Double Dee placing her arm on her shoulder as May walked around to the other side of the table to console her.

Back up on stage, Lindsay seemed quite distressed. She bit her lip slightly as she turned her attention to the bare wooden surface next to her, the spot where Lee was supposed to be standing tonight.

 _Well folks, it appears that the lovely young lady in the back has informed us that Annalee is a no show. Unfortunately, we are going to be required to disqualify her from the competition. By the rules of the winter ball queen campaign, when one of the finalist does not make an appearance, the other finalist wins by default."_

The DJ paused as he stood up out of his seat, he then placed the microphone to his mouth and continued speaking in a highly enthusiastic manner.

 _Well, we have our winner folks! This years winter ball queen is Ms. Lindsay Statorowski!_

The DJ placed his microphone down, and pressed a white button on his mixer, cueing up the victory music he had set for the event. He then proceeded to applaud, joining in with the thunderous salute currently being delivered by most of the hall.

At the Rethink Avenue table, all of the teenagers remained virtually silent, in state of shock realizing that the opportunity for Lee to win the prize she had been seeking all season had been blown. Rolf was, of course, the only individual at the table who was displaying any form of positivity regarding the situation. He slowly applauded as he stared in Lindsay's direction with dreamy eyes.

Up on stage, Lindsay was in quite the state of shock as well. Throughout the entire ordeal, her mind had been racing with thoughts regarding her desire for the crown, among other things. The bewildered girl was suddenly surprised by a slight tap on the shoulder, at which point she turned around to find one of the teachers, who had attended the dance as a chaperone. The teacher offered her congratulations, after which she reached up and placed a small, silver crown on top of Lindsay's head. She then proceeded to drape a silver sash, decorated with the words "Winter Ball Queen" over the tall girls head. Neither of these actions seemed to phase Lindsay in the slightest; she continued to display a wide-eyed stare as the teacher walked off of the stage.

As the applause died down, the DJ chimed in once again.

 _Again, congratulations to our winter ball queen, Lindsay Statorowski. Now I'd like to invite Ms. Statorowski up to the microphone to say a few words regarding her most recent accomplishment! Come on up!_

The DJ silenced the music and held the microphone towards Lindsay. The blonde continued to remain silent and still, nervously staring at the microphone as if she were deep in thought. She then briefly turned her attention to the crowd, who continued to gaze upon the stage awaiting her response. Finally, she glanced down toward the sash that was placed over her shoulder moments ago, repeatedly reading the words displayed on it for what seemed like forever.

Eventually, Lindsay seemed to break free from her thoughts, while simultaneously readopting her typical scowl. At the same time, she suddenly turned and proceeded to walk in the opposite direction of the DJ booth. The crowd watched in complete silence as Lindsay walked away from the stage, refusing to acknowledge anyone whatsoever, as her high heels clicked on the marble floor. In a flash the tall slim girl had disappeared, taking her leave through the exit doors on the far side of the hall.

As Lindsay slammed the exit door shut, the DJ remained idol perplexed at the situation presented before him. Nevertheless, he regained his upbeat composure and seamlessly continued.

 _Well it appears that while Ms. Statorowski is big on talent and holiday spirit, she truly is a woman of few words. That's alright, to each her own. We've got a few more hours of fun on the way, and I promise I'll be sure to make most of it. Again, let's hear a round of applause for the Waterfall Room for hosting this awesome event, and we'll be back in about twenty minutes to take you all to the dance floor with some classic hits. See you then._

At the Rethink Avenue Table, Marie decided to comment on the situation.

"Woman of few words," said Marie in a sarcastic manner, "After all that fighting, and making an ass out of Lee, she didn't even have the decency to thank everyone for electing her. She got what she wanted, it's all over now, time to accept fate and enjoy the rest of the dance."

Marie picked up her fork and continued working on finishing her platter. The remainder of the table followed suit, not saying a word to each other for the remainder of dinner.

As the Rethink Avenue residents analyze the events surrounding the crowning of the ball queen, Lindsay flung open the double doors acting as the entrance into the hall with force. The girl appeared visibly upset as she angrily stomped across the antechamber, entering the small hallway that lead to the area of the rest rooms. As she ground her teeth with what seemed like caged up fury, a slight tear formed in her left eye, eventually breaking loose and beginning its journey down her cheek.

The girl had intended to make her way to the restroom, where she would lock herself in one of the stalls to cry in secret. However, she was barely able to make it past the area of the water fountain, when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks; the same one as the previous night.

"Congratulations Lindsay," said the voice of Eddy, emanating from behind in a soft intonation, "You finally won the crown you wanted since the beginning of the season."

Eddy proceeded to take a few steps down the hallway, stopping a few feet shy of Lindsay's position. He leaned his body on the wall as he folded his arms, glancing up towards the back of her head.

"Or should I say...the crown SHE wanted since the beginning of the season." said Eddy.

Lindsay clenched her fists ever so slightly at the conclusion of Eddy's statement, at which point he decided to continue.

"I watched the whole ceremony from out here," said Eddy, "You looked like you were thinking a lot up there. Now I'm sure of it, that whole arrogant diva attitude is nothing but a bullshit illusion. You couldn't even focus because you were wondering where Lee is."

Lindsay remained focused towards the end of the hallway, being sure to hide the tears that we're currently streaming from her eyes in a slow manner.

"I see the conflict in you," said Eddy, "As much as you feel the need to be her puppet, you sure do suck at doing it. That's a compliment by the way, it means that you actually have a moral conscience, something that she lacks. It's why you're thinking about this so much."

Suddenly, Lindsay snapped in Eddy's direction.

"Alright smart guy," said Lindsay, "You seem to have all the answers, so tell me. How do I fix this?"

"You know what you have to do," said Eddy as he turned, and began walking towards the double doors leading into the hall. As he placed his hand on the golden handle, he turned back towards Lindsay.

"I know what it feels like to be given up on," said Eddy, "I see who you really are, and I'm not giving up on you yet...just like Lee never did."

Eddy paused for a few moments, matter which he opened the door, turning towards Lindsay one final time as he entered the hall.

"She's at home in her bedroom by herself right now," said Eddy, "Just thought you should know."

At the conclusion of his statement, Eddy closed the decorative door, isolating the cacophonous music within from the antechamber. Lindsay remained in her position momentarily, placing her hand over her mouth as she pondered her situation. A few moments passed, at which point she briefly glanced toward the ceiling, while simultaneously adopting a determined expression.

In an instant, Lindsay found herself traveling towards the stairs at a rapid pace; though her speed limited by her high heeled shoes and apparent joint pain, she nevertheless seem quite determined to reach her destination, where ever that may be.


	73. Chapter 73

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello everyone!_

 _I would like to take this time to officially announce a couple of things I believe I have neglect to announce on Fanfiction as of yet._

 _First, for those that are unaware, I have a deviantart account "TheKiltedEngineer" which I used to upload various articles of Fanart pertaining to this story, as well as Bad Girls with Big Hearts. The site contains character models, scenes, and other interesting "deviations" you might enjoy._

 _In addition, I have decided to mirror this story on DA as well. Members of DA will be able to view this mirrored "Deviantart Exclusive" version, which will include some "deleted scenes" that never made the final cut on fanfiction. This will be expected to be uploaded in full in the near future._

 _In addition, please check out my YouTube account, the link to which is supplied on my DA account. I promise some very interesting things in the near future._

 _One final note, I will be turning 28 years old on Monday...another year older, another year wiser I suppose._

 _Without further ado, on to the next._

 **Chapter 73**

Eddy closed the door behind him as he entered the dance hall, pondering Lindsay's reaction to his words. After a few seconds of thinking, he turned his attention to the crowd, dispersed around the hall once again after the conclusion of dinner.

A quick glance around the hall yielded positive identification of his two best friends, Ed and Double Dee. The two boys were standing at the edge of the dance floor, immersed in a fun-filled conversation. Marie, May and Nazz had taken their leave to the girls room in an effort to relieve themselves, and to perform modifications and readjustments to their hair and make-up ensemble, leaving the boys to their own devices for the next ten minutes or so.

After a quick stop at the counter for a cup of punch, Eddy took a deep breath and proceeded to make his way toward his friends. The small boy was quite nervous, as he felt somewhat responsible for the events that had occurred the previous day; he felt quite guilty for handling things the way he did despite Double Dee's warnings.

Nevertheless, he eventually came within speaking distance of his friends, taking his place standing next to Ed with a melancholy expression.

"Hey boys..." said Eddy in a quiet manner, prompting his friends attention.

In an instant, Ed's face transformed into an exuberant smile. He then reached out and grabbed Eddy in a tight bear hug, much to the short boys surprise.

"Eddy!" yelled Ed, "You made it! Boy oh boy how I missed you! I can't wait for you to see how pretty May looks. And guess what? I even danced! And you said I had two right feet."

Ed giggled dopily at the conclusion of his statement, at which point Eddy decided to reply.

"Good for you Ed," said Eddy, "I wish I could say my night is going as good as yours."

Ed placed Eddy back down onto the floor, adopting a saddened expression as he and Double Dee listened to Eddy explain himself.

"I'm sorry guys," said Eddy, "I messed up real bad. All of this fighting and stuff really got to me, and this stupid big mouth of mine only made things worse. That and the fact that I tend to make stupid choices that only make things worse when I'm desperate really screwed things up. I tried to make things better, I've been working over the last couple weeks to get Lee a custom ball gown. I secretly called that Green Clover Store, gave them her measurements, and asked if they could whip something up in green for her. I managed to get it done, and I'd thought I'd surprise her with it at her house tonight, but then all that bullshit happened yesterday and it ruined it. I knocked on her door with the dress earlier tonight, but Lee refused to come to the door, saying she was too upset to talk to anyone. Tabby tried to get her to come out, but she wouldn't budge."

Eddy glanced towards the floor.

"I know Lee's pretty stubborn, but in this case I can't blame her," said Eddy, "All of this is my fault. I got you and Rolf caught up in all of this because I tried to take the stupid way out instead of just letting things happen. It's just, I want to see Lee happy, but I went about it all wrong. If only I could go back in time...if only I understood from the get go."

Eddy glanced back toward his friends.

"But now it's all ruined," said Eddy, "Lee probably doesn't want to be with me anymore, let alone speak to me. But at least I was able to apologize to Rolf...and possibly set things up to make her life better in the long run, even if it doesn't involve me anymore."

At that moment, Double Dee approached Eddy and placed his hand on his friends shoulder

"It's been quite the overwhelming week, Eddy" said Double Dee, "But, I most certainly would not be so hasty in taking all of the responsibility for this unfortunate mess. While you do manage to consistently escalate problems due to your hotheaded nature, in this instance, it is quite easy to see that you had nothing but the greatest intentions. However, you could have benefited from listening to your friends. You should know by now that I am always willing to assist with problems in the most efficient manner, and I knew that your plan to use Rolf against Lindsay would eventually backfire, it was merely a matter of time."

"I know," said Eddy, "I'm sorry, I should have listened from the get go."

Double Dee smiled.

"Apology accepted," said Double Dee.

"Really?" asked Eddy, "That's it, even though I pretty much ruined Christmas."

"Eddy, I hardly doubt that Christmas is ruined entirely," said Double Dee, "Have you forgotten what the season is about? Love, good will, hope, and cheer. You have the love of your friends, and demonstrated good will by attempting to atone for your actions by procuring Lee a winter ball gown. In addition, I have no doubt that you will eventually regain your overconfident, somewhat silly antics, without which the show and this fanfic would surely be quite the bore."

Double Dee leaned down to meet Eddy at eye level.

"The only thing missing right now my dear friend is hope," said Double Dee, "And if Ed and I have anything to do with it, you and Lee will be back on good terms by Christmas Eve. I'm sure Marie and May would be happy to assist as well."

Eddy stared into Double Dee's eyes for a few moments, after which he cracked a smile.

"Thanks pal," said Eddy, "Why are you so good to me, even though I always seem to be a jerk."

"Well as they say, friends stick together through thick and thin," said Double Dee, "Besides, we've been through much worse than this little pickle, haven't we?"

Eddy simply smiled at the conclusion of Double Dee's statement. A few seconds passed, after which he adopted a saddened demeanor once again.

"I just wish I could have saw her in that dress," said Eddy, "Green is her favorite color, and it looks really nice on her with that beautiful red hair and freckles. The lady at the dress shop said the same thing when I described Lee to her. It's funny, I worked my ass off to earn the money to buy that dress, but when I went to pick it up, the lady said that somebody donated a dress with the exact description to some kind of holiday program that gives girls free prom dresses and ball gowns, so I didn't have to spend a penny."

"Interesting," said Double Dee, "I suppose the holiday spirit is on your side after all."

"Either way," said Eddy, "I brought it here with me on the off chance that Lee decided to eventually show up. It's a long shot, but like you said there's always hope."

Eddy turned back towards the dance floor, observing the hoards of young men and women moving their bodies to the music.

"I guess all's we can do now is try to have a good time," said Eddy after which he took a sip of his punch.

The three boys stood in silence, awaiting the return of the girls while contemplating the situation at hand.

Meanwhile, back at the Kankers residence, Tabby had just completed the task of pouring batter into a series of three trays, designed for making her famous vanilla frosted cupcakes. The red headed woman had pre-heated the oven, and after donning a pair of blue mitts, opened the door and placed the tray inside.

Upon removing the oven mitts, Tabby grabbed her cup of coffee from the kitchen counter and made her way back into the living room. She placed the steaming mug down on the coffee table, after which she retrieved a cigarette from her pocket book, as well as a match.

Just as she was about to strike the match, a series of five knocks emanated from the area of the front door, indicating the presence of a visitor. Expecting a visit from the Christmas Carolers, or a charitable organization, Tabby placed her cigarette and match down on the table. She retrieved a few dollar bills from her pocketbook prior to approaching the door.

As soon as Tabby opened the door, an expression of surprise suddenly overcame her. In lieu of meeting a charity spokesperson at eye level, she was greeted with the sight of a maroon designer fur coat, her head being at the level of the occupants chest. In a flash, Tabby glanced upward, eventually meeting a pair of blue, chestnut shaped eyes that conveyed an air of concern.

Standing on the stoop was none other than Lindsay, who had changed into her ordinary clothes. Her hair was once again placed into her standard style; long loose waves separated from her bangs by a blue head band. Her large golden hooped earrings hung from her ears, bouncing slightly as she moved her head.

"Hello...um...Ms. Kanker?" said Lindsay.

Tabby paused for a few moments, staring up into Lindsay's eyes prior to responding.

"Yes," said Tabby, "Hello Ti...ime for a song I suppose, you're a Caroler right!?"

"No," said Lindsay, "We've never met before, but I'm an old friend of Annalee's from the city. I just moved here a few months ago. My name is Lindsay."

"Well Lindsay," said Tabby, "Great to meet you, you can call me Tabby."

"Great," said Lindsay rather nervously, "Is Annalee home?"

Tabby bit her bottom lip as she turned towards the interior of the house, glancing toward the area of the stairs.

"Yes she is," said Tabby, "But she's feeling a little under the weather right now."

"Would you mind if I came in and talked to her for a minute?" asked Lindsay.

"I'm sorry," said Tabby, "But I don't think she wants to see anybody right now. She didn't even want to see her boyfriend earlier, and they are very close."

At that moment, Lindsay placed her hand on Tabby's shoulder.

"Please Tabby," said Lindsay, "Let me try to talk to her. I think I can help her get out of this funk."

Tabby paused for a few moments, staring into Lindsay's eyes with a neutral expression. A few seconds passed, at which point she nodded, and proceeded to move to the left while signaling Lindsay to enter her home.

"Thank you so much," said Lindsay as she made her way into the Kankers house, carrying her favorite purple handbag on her shoulder.

Tabby closed the door behind her, after which she turned around to face the living room. She observed the tall, thin frame of Lindsay make her way towards the stairs, walking with her characteristic arched back. After climbing the five stairs towards the upper level, she turned down the hallway towards Lee's room, disappearing from view.

Tabby sat down in her chair with a slight grin on her face. As she finally lit her cigarette, she uttered a few words to herself.

"Looks like fate has come full circle," said Tabby as she glanced toward the stairs again, "She's a spitting image, those Bette Davis eyes tell the whole story...she even sounds just like her."

Tabby took a draw of her cigarette.

"The stage is set," said Tabby "It's all in the hands of God now."


	74. Chapter 74

**Chapter 74**

Lindsay's heart seemed to race as she made her way down the Kankers hallway, eventually coming to rest in front of the red panel door that acted as the entry way to Lee's bedroom. As she stood outside, pondering her thoughts, Lee sat inside on the edge of her bed. She had once again retrieved the red photo album from underneath her bed, and was currently using a pink pen to write a few words onto one of the pages.

Outside, Lindsay took a deep breath at which point she reached both of her hands into the air. She proceeded to knock on the door in a highly specific pattern, at one point using both of her hands to create a small rhythm at machine guns pace.

Lee immediately ceased her task at hand and turned her attention to the door with surprise. While she had not heard that particular knocking pattern in over ten years, she instinctively replied to the "L&L" knock using the "secret code phrase", while simultaneously hiding her project under the bed.

"Unless you're a specter, go ahead and enter!" yelled Lee, in manner that matched the rhythm of the knocking pattern.

Lee had finally realized the implications of hearing the characteristic knock, as well as the reply when the door began to slowly open with a long, drawn out creek, revealing Lindsay behind it. As Lindsay stood in the doorway, frozen as still as a statue, Lee followed suit, sitting on the edge of the bed; staring into Lindsay's eyes as if she were an animal caught in a pair of headlights.

Eventually, Lee finally broke out of her trance and turned towards the window. As a scowl appeared on her face, she decided to begin a conversation.

"What the hell are you doing here?," asked Lee, "I told my mom no visitors, and of all the people she let's in it has to be you."

"Yeah, I guess," said Lindsay, "I just wanted stop by and let you know I went to the dance, and won the winter ball crown."

"Yippee," said Lee, "It ain't enough for ya to win, you gotta pay a special trip to my house to tell me."

"No, it's not that," said Lindsay, "I just..."

Lindsay stumbled over her words as she reached into her handbag, pulling out the crown she had won around an hour ago.

"I just thought you should have it," said Lindsay, "If you showed up, you would have won fair and square. It was obvious from the beginning."

Lindsay held the crown out to Lee, her hand shaking in a nervous manner. The girls continued to stare at each other with confused expressions, after which Lindsay's nerves got the best of her. She proceeded to adopt her typical scowl, in addition to her false 'mean girl' persona.

"I mean, it's not like I need it," said Lindsay, "I already win everything else, so why not let you have this one for once."

Lindsay placed the crown on the bed next to Lee, at which point she turned around and began walking towards the door; however, she had barely taken two steps when Lee decided to interject.

"Can the fake bullshit Lindsay," said Lee, "I'm not taking this crown, for your sake I know you can't afford to lose this one. It's really her crown, is it not?"

Lindsay refused to respond, and stood completely still as she stood with her back towards Lee, remaining focused on the door. Lee decided to continue speaking her mind.

"Lindsay," said Lee in a rather stern manner, "Why did you tear up our drawing and end our friendship all those years ago? I don't care if we never speak again, or if we we keep fighting like we've been all of these years, I want the truth. The real story, so I can finally sleep at night knowing what actually happened."

Lindsay refused to respond, prompting Lee to continue.

"I know she isn't just screaming at you," said Lee, "People just don't suddenly change like you did, and they definitely don't wind up in the same bunk room at a camp for children who are victims of child abuse and self harm. I know somethings up, and you aren't leaving this room until you tell me."

There was a long pause, after which Lindsay emitted a long drawn out sigh.

"Okay Annalee," said Lindsay, "I'll give you what you want, but I have to warn you..."

Lindsay turned to face Lee, displaying an expression of sadness.

"It's a very long story." said Lindsay.

"I've got all night," said Lee, at which point she moved over slightly as if to make sitting space. She then patted the bed with her palm, as if to signal Lindsay to sit down. Lindsay obliged, nervously making her way towards the bed. She placed her handbag onto the floor as she took a seat on the soft surface, crossing her legs as she folded her arms on her knees.

"Before I tell you what happened that day," said Lindsay, "There are some other things I have to get off of my chest beforehand. It's all part of the story anyway, so why not."

Lindsay emitted a long drawn out sigh. At the conclusion of the action, she suddenly turned towards Lee.

"Annalee," said Lindsay, "Where did you get your height from?"

Lee paused slightly, surprised at Lindsay's seemingly unrelated question. Nevertheless, Lee decided to reply.

"My biological father was 6'7" tall," said Lee, "That and the fact that my Grandfather on my moms side was 6'4" is probably why I'm so tall. That kind of explains why Marie and May aren't, because they didn't get my biological fathers half of the genes."

"Interesting," said Lindsay as she continued to stare forward. Lee decided to pose a question of her own, while adding a slight joke into the mix.

"So fellow Amazon woman," said Lee, "I couldn't help but notice that you were always way taller than all the other girls in school. Where'd you get your height from?"

"I'm glad you asked," said Lindsay.

At that point Lindsay lifted her right hand into the air.

"Do you remember how you thought it was so cool that I could do this?" asked Lindsay as she folded her right thumb over her palm, and proceeded to curl her long fingers over top of it. Interestingly, in lieu of being hidden as usual, the distal end of her thumb protruded out from behind her pinky, completely exposing it's long pink nail.

"Yeah," said Lee, "That and the fact that you were double-jointed pretty much everywhere else in your body."

Lindsay giggled slightly, after which she continued.

"This is called Steinberg's sign," said Lindsay, "Here's another one for you."

At that point, Lindsay lifted her left hand and proceeded to grip her right wrist with her thumb and little finger. To Lee's surprise, Lindsay's little finger managed to overlap her thumb, a feat which is typically impossible.

"That one is called Walkers sign," said Lindsay, "They are two key signs of Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the bodies connective tissues. It often results in eye problems, like nearsightedness and lens dislocation, dental problems, like crowded teeth, overbite, and issues with the hard plate, and cardiovascular issues, like a dilated aorta, undue fatigue, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Most notably, the condition affects the skeletal system, and results in above average height and disproportionately long limbs."

Lee sat shocked as Lindsay turned towards her with a sly grin.

"Surprise surprise," said Lindsay, "My height is due to my Marfan syndrome!"

"Holy shit Lindsay," said Lee, "I had no idea..."

"Yep," said Lindsay as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, "About 15–30% of cases, or about roughly about one in 20,000 births are due to random genetic mutations, but more commonly, the condition is passed on from a parent, with a 50-50 shot of the child having the condition."

Lindsay turned towards Lee.

"That's how I got mine." said Lindsay.

"Wow," said Lee with surprise, "So you got it from your dad?"

"Nope." said Lindsay, "I got it from my mother."

"Bullshit," said Lee, "There's no way you could have got it from your mom. She's pretty much the definition of petite."

Lindsay giggled slightly.

"Time for secret number two," said Lindsay, "Edyta Babik is not my mom, it would be a disgrace for me to even think about comparing her to my mother. For all intents and purpose, let's just say she's something more of a step-mother."

Lindsay paused as she refolded her hands.

"My mother passed away fourteen years ago." said Lindsay, "Her name was Tiffany O'Leary, and she too had Marfan Syndrome, but hers was the result of a random genetic mutation, because my neither my Grandmom and Grandpop have it."

Lindsay turned towards a surprised Lee with a neutral expression.

"Sorry I never got a chance to tell you before." said Lindsay.

"Jesus Christ," said Lee, "I always thought you and Edyta didn't look anything alike, and now it all makes sense. That and the fact that no real mother would be able to drag her daughter the way I saw her drag you away from us that day."

There was a slight pause, after which Lee decided to pose another question.

"If you don't mind me asking," said Lee, "How did your mom pass, and how did you wind up with that piss poor excuse of a stepmother?"

Lindsay sighed.

"Like I said," said Lindsay, "It's a long story. I guess I should start by telling you about my mom."

Lindsay took a deep breath, and proceeded to begin her story.

"My mom grew up in the city," said Lindsay, "She was a very awkward girl; like me, she was always over a head taller than any of the other girls she knew. She was also really skinny, my Dad always said her best friend in high school used to playfully say she was built 'like a bread stick in tennis shoes', a statement which she eventually took ownership of. She had really bad spinal curvature, which required her to wear a daunting back brace for most of her childhood and early teenage years. On top of that, she had really bad nearsightedness, for which she wore thick glasses throughout her life, and had to have numerous back teeth removed due to her mouth being overcrowded. Because of that, the teeth she did have were severely crooked, and she was forced to wear a large orthodontic appliance that my Dad jokingly called her 'apparatus'. Of course, all of this was a result of her Marfan syndrome, and while the red flags were there, no diagnosis was ever made. The syndrome often goes undiagnosed, and everyone, including the doctors, just thought she was tall and naturally awkward.

Lindsay reached into her handbag and retrieved a small photograph.

"This is my mom when she was in eight grade," said Lindsay as she held the picture out to Lee.

Lee retrieved her glasses from the nightstand, unfolded the arms, and placed the black frames on her face. She then retrieved the photograph for observation. The picture consisted of a headshot of a teenage girl, the face of whom was the exact same shape as Lindsay's. Her hair was blonde and wavy, just as Lindsay's was, however in lieu of hanging loose, it was parted into two high ponytails. Most notably, around the girls head was a brown strap, attached to which were several metal rods extending into the air like a spiders legs. The rods served as an orthodontic appliance, commonly referred to as "headgear" and served as anchor points for several metal wires. These wires were attached to the girls braces, which adorned her severely maloccluded teeth.

"Wow," said Lee, "That head gears even worse than that little wierdos down the street. I hope that at least helped her out in the end."

"Believe me," said Lindsay, "It only took couple thousand dollars, but all that dental work eventually did the trick."

Lindsay retrieved the photograph from Lee, and placed it back into her handbag prior to continuing her story.

"My mom was able to get that headgear removed after eighth grade, just as she entered high school" said Lindsay, "Getting rid of that junk improved her self confidence, and she finally got the nerve to finally ask my dad out on a date. They lived down the street from each other when they were kids, and my mom my had a crush on him ever since she got her headgear stuck in a chain link fence and he helped her get out. My Dad told me he always had a crush on her too, but he was too scared to ask her out because he thought she was too cool for him."

Lindsay giggled.

"Anyway, in addition to getting her braces off, my moms friend recruited her to join the schools girls basketball team," said Lindsay, "Due to their height and their disproportionately long limbs, people with Marfan Syndrome are often selected as athletes, and my mother was no exception."

Lindsay turned towards Lee.

"My mom entered ninth grade at a height of 6'0," said Lindsay, "She graduated high school at a height of 6'6", and remained at that height for the rest of her life. Obviously her height was perfect for the sport, but my mom had never touched a ball before in her life, preferring video games and accounting instead of physical activity. But with the encouragement of my dad and her best friend, as well as her physical therapist for what they saw as therapy for her joint pain, she started practicing. Lo and behold it became one of her favorite hobbies. She was a natural, becoming an instant school celebrity, and leading the school basketball team to several championships."

Lindsay caught her breath.

"My dad always says my mom was larger than life, literally and figuratively," said Lindsay, "She was active on the debate team, the young republicans club, and the junior investment club. He said everybody loved her, she just had this natural charisma about her that brightened everyone's day. But she never embraced her popularity, and always remained humble, keeping only two close acquaintances, her best friend from childhood, and her boyfriend, my Dad."

Lindsay paused briefly as she adjusted her coat, as well as her legs, switching the order of their crossing.

"Anyway, after graduation, many colleges tried to recruit my mom for basketball, but she ultimately decided to go to the same university as my dad," said Lindsay, "My mom loved sports, but her biggest passion in life was business and investment. She went to school for finance, and my Dad went to school for nuclear engineering. I always joke with my dad about him being such a nerd, but he really is the smartest guy I know. He can fix anything, and do all kinds of crazy math I never even heard of, just like you. That got him an accelerated degree, and he eventually graduated with a pHd in six years, his final research project being a new type of cooling system for MRI medical machines. Of course, his patents provided him with the perfect opportunity to go into business, and he and my mom decided to start building their own corporation from the bottom up: Charles-Tiffany Imaging Science International. My dad handled all of the engineering, my mom handled all of the finance and the business. It was amazing."

"Well now we know where you got those insane skills with money from," said Lee, "Not to mention those charismatic skills."

"I suppose," said Lindsay, "My Dad says he see's my mom in me everyday, in looks and in personality. Although I don't always agree, my mom would at least stand up for herself instead of submitting to be a mindless puppet."

There was a slight pause.

"Anyway, to get to the point, and to prevent Kilted from getting slack for world building," said Lindsay, "My mom and dad worked well together, got married and eventually decided that they wanted to have a baby. My Dad said I'm a very special baby, because my mom and dad had a lot of trouble conceiving, but after multiple tries, they finally managed to create me."

Lindsay swallowed slightly as her eyes became somewhat glassy.

"My Dad said they were so excited about finally having a little girl," said Lindsay, "He hired a team of accountants for my mom to train so she could take some time off when she had me, and spent everyday fixing up our old house and making me all kinds of toys that I would eventually play with. Eventually, the time came, and my mom was admitted to the hospital with my Dad at her side."

Lindsay wiped her right eye, and took a deep breath prior to continuing.

"My moms labor was quite difficult," said Lindsay, "But after a few hours, I arrived safe and sound with one final push. Unfortunately, while that push ushered in the beginning of my life on this earth, it spelled the end of my mothers."

Lindsay turned toward Lee.

"People with Marfan syndrome often have weakening of the aorta, the large blood vessel that acts as the main line from the heart to the rest of the body," said Lindsay, "For that reason, afflicted individuals such as myself are supposed to have routine scans to ensure that their aorta is holding up, and are prescribed beta blockers to keep their blood pressures at safe levels. Unfortunately, due to never being diagnosed, my mom was never monitored, and her aorta ruptured from the blood pressure spike."

"Lindsay..." said Lee softly as she placed her hand over her mouth.

"My dad doesn't like to talk about it," said Lindsay, "But from what he has told me, I know he was rushed out to the waiting room while my mom was rushed into emergency surgery. That was the last time he saw her alive, and while I technically knew my mom for nine months, I never got to meet her."

There was a pause as a tear began to slowly trickle down Lindsay's face. Lee watching in sadness, reached out and grabbed Lindsay's hand in hers, squeezing it gently for a few minutes. However, upon realizing the two were sharing an emotional moment, they pulled their hands away from each other; both girls feeling awkward doing so as they were technically still "fighting".

"Wow," said Lee, "That was a doozy. I didn't think there was much I didn't know about you, but that surely proved me wrong."

Lee turned toward Lindsay with a smile, attempting to lighten the mood.

"That also explained why you came up as Tiffany when we were in camp together" said Lee, "I thought those over excited jackasses they call counsellors got hit over the head with too many pine cones."

The two girls shared a laugh, after which Lee decided to continue.

"That leads me to my next question," said Lee, "Why do you go by Lindsay, instead of Tiffany."

"Lindsay is my middle name," said Lindsay, "It's my grandmother on my dads sides first name."

"So hold on," said Lee in a playful manner, "Where'd this Elizabeth bullshit come from?"

"It's my confirmation name goofball!" said Lindsay, "So my name is Tiffany Lindsay Elizabeth Statorowski. I always went by Lindsay because I thought it sounded cooler, but sometimes I wish I would have got used to calling myself Tiffany to honor my mother."

Lindsay paused as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"My Dad, my Baba, and my moms parents are the only people on this planet that call me Tiffany," said Lindsay, "When I was born, my mom became Tiff and I was Tiffany to avoid confusion. What's funny is my moms nickname in high school was Big T, something she hated at first, but then she learned to love. My dad sometimes calls me Little T as a nickname, to pay homage to my moms nickname."

At that moment, Lindsay adopted a serious expression.

"My dad introduced me as Tiffany to Edyta when I first met her," said Lindsay, "She calls me Tiffany when in front of my dad, but calls me Lindsay otherwise."

Lindsay turned towards Lee.

"Well that's a perfect segue into the next part of my story, and the end of the easy part," said Lindsay, "Now that you have the background, let me finally explain why I was forced to do what I did all those years ago. You probably already figured it out, but let me just warn you upfront, it's definitely not a fairy tail."

"That's okay," said Lee, as she rose up from the bed, "My life's no fairy tail either, that's for sure."

Lee began walking towards the bedroom door, at which point she turned around to face Lindsay.

"Before we share the stories of our depressing childhoods," said Lee, "How about we take a break and go brew up some tea? This chapters getting pretty long anyway. My moms cupcakes should be done too, I'll bring some up."

"Sure," said Lindsay, "Nothing like a bunch of sweetness to balance out all the sourness, huh LeeLee."

At the conclusion of her statement, Lindsay's mouth suddenly clammed up as if she had engaged in taboo. Her cherished nickname for her best friend had not been used out loud in years, and the sudden slip-up surprised both girls.

A few moments passed, at which point Lee proceeded to open the door.

"Alright then," said Lee, "I'll be right back."

"Okay," said Lindsay, at which point Lee made her exit, on the way to the kitchen to retrieve some refreshments.


	75. Chapter 75

**Authors Note:**

Hello everyone,

Before we begin, I just wanted to say that a small portion of this chapter contains a flashback, meant to be imagined as such. Just as it was in one of the previous chapters, all things happening in the flashback are represented by italics.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue as this little conundrum continues to be untraveled.

Without further ado, here we go!

 **Chapter 75**

Ten minutes had passed since Lee had taken her leave to retrieve her refreshments. She had returned bearing two cups of tea, as well as two of Tabby's vanilla cupcakes, one of each for her and her guest. As she re-entered the room, she opted to flick the wall mounted light switch, activating the two table-mounted lamps, bringing the room into a less somber state by illuminating the space in a dim orange glow.

Lindsay placed her tea down on Lee's vanity, and proceeded to unwrap her cupcake in a delicate, ladylike manner. She then held the treat up to her mouth, and attempted to take a small dainty bite; however, the large amount of cream placed on top unfortunately managed to smear near the borders of her lips.

As Lindsay began enjoying her treat, Lee sat down on the bed next to her and proceeded to unwrap her cupcake.

"So," said Lee, "How is it!"

Lindsay waited to reply until after she swallowed.

"Great," said Lindsay as she turned towards Lee, "These taste just like the ones we used to get back at the bakery on the corner in the city!"

"They do huh," said Lee, "I'm glad you like em', but the trick is to get more of the cupcake in your mouth than around your mouth."

Lee giggled slightly as Lindsay adopted an expression of distress. She quickly dashed over towards Lee's vanity and leaned into the mirror to check her face. Upon seeing the mess she had inadvertently made of herself, she promptly grabbed a few of the napkins Lee had brought with her and proceeded to clean her face as Lee giggled.

After a few seconds, Lindsay placed the napkins down and reexamined her face, moving her head around to obtain a view from multiple angles.

"Did I get it all?" asked Lindsay in a nervene manner.

Lee giggled slightly as she rolled her eyes and stood up off of the bed.

"Some things never change," said Lee, "Let me see Goofball."

Lee took hold of Lindsay large earrings as if they were the handlebars on a bicycle, and used them to turn Lindsay's face towards her. After a quick examination, Lee released Lindsay, nodded and sat back down on her mattress.

"You're good," said Lee, "God forbid you have one little smudge of icing on your lips, you're still too dainty to lick it off with your tongue, huh?"

"Hello," said Lindsay, as she turned towards Lee with a smile as she pointed towards her mouth, "It's called lip gloss, and it took forever to get it the way I wanted it."

"Whatever," said Lee, "At least I know those hula hoops you wear on your ears still serve their purpose. Remember when you spilled your ice cream we got from Tony's that one day? You went crazy and grabbing those things was the only way to hold you still and get ya to calm down!"

"Um, yeah how could I forget," said Lindsay, "It was five dollars and fifty cents! That's a lot of money for a kid back them. On top of that it was the vanilla chocolate combination with strawberry bits made by Tony himself. Any kid in the neighborhood would have went crazy if they lost out on that! But you were there like always to share yours."

"Hey, what was I supposed to do, leave ya hangin?" asked Lee, "Besides, I always liked those big hoops of yours. I tried to look for ones to match them, but I could never seem to find a pair we could afford."

"You should have just asked me!" said Lindsay as she sat back down next to Lee, "I would have given you a pair. I have about three more sets back in my room, I'll bring a pair the next time I come over and..."

At that point, Lindsay ceased mid sentence, realizing that she and Lee were speaking to each other as if their friendship had never ended. Both girls, while wanting nothing more than to be on amiable terms with each other again, were quite stubborn and continued to refuse to admit their feelings; accordingly both sat with solemn expressions, with their arms folded and legs crossed while staring in opposite directions as if they were a mirror image of one another.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Lee decided to interject.

"So," said Lee, "Are you ready to continue your story?"

Lindsay paused for a few moments, sighing as she placed her hands on her knees and adopted an expression of sadness.

"Sure," said Lindsay, "It's why I'm here, right?"

Lindsay adjusted her hair, after which she continued where she left off.

"My moms unexpected death hit our family pretty hard, especially my Dad," said Lindsay, "He went from being excited about raising a miracle baby with the love of his life to a widower with an infant daughter."

There was a pause as Lindsay collected her thoughts, after which she decided to continue.

"My dad started putting me in daycare when I was two so that he could continue to run his company, which by the way almost failed due to his bought of severe depression," said Lindsay, "Eventually, around the time I was three, I began to notice all of the other kids being picked up by their mom, and began to wonder why I didn't have a mom. I can remember the day I finally asked my dad the question, and how sad he seemed when he had to explain it. Of course he explained it in very simple terms when I was little, mostly in terms of our belief in God, but eventually told the entire story as I matured. He also gave me a bunch of pictures of my mom to keep next to my bed, and told me that she would always be with me and be my guardian angel."

Lindsay turned towards Lee.

"Getting to the point," said Lindsay, "As a toddler, me and my dad did a lot together. My dad loves working on cars, outdoor sports like fishing and hunting, and anything to do with science, basically a typical 'mans man'. Although I wasn't really good at it, or particularly interested, he would have me hand him tools while we fixed up his car and take me on fun fishing trips and walks through the woods. While my dad loved the science and engineering portion of his job, I could care less, cause as you know, I take after my mom when it comes to finance. I have always been fascinated with money, from playing cash register in my room, to using a calculator to count play money my dad used to give me when he occasionally took me to work with him. Despite being so different, we were really close, and I loved spending time with him whether it was out in the woods, in the garage, or in his office."

Lindsay cracked a slight smile.

"One year for my birthday, he bought me a miniature basketball hoop and a ball." said Lindsay, "The idea being that because my mom loved sports and was talented at basketball, I might be as well and could benefit from starting early."

Lindsay looked towards the wall as she continued speaking.

"He tried to get me into it, but it just wasn't for me. For whatever reason, I was different, a more typical girl so to speak." said Lindsay, "I could barely hold a basketball, but when it came to manicures, hair, and fashion, I was well beyond my years. He saw my God given love of cosmetology blossom, but felt powerless to relate to it...that's when he decided to try to help."

Lee giggled slightly.

"In hindsight it's kind of a good thing that you're one of those prissy girls," said Lee in a playful manner, "It don't sound like running or any kind of heavy cardiovascular exercise is good for your blood pressure, or your joint issues."

"Very true," said Lindsay, "Ever since my mom died, my Dad spent his free time researching medical texts and websites, trying to figure out what went wrong and why he suddenly lost my mom that day. Around the time of my basketball failure, he finally discovered Marfan Syndrome, and realized my mom had all the signs, including the Walker and Steinbergs sign I showed you earlier. They were unfortunately mistaken as just being part of my moms unusual double-jointedness. After reading that the disorder was genetic, and realizing I was growing like a weed, he put two and two together and realized I might have it as well."

Lindsay took a breath.

"I can remember him coming into my room one night," said Lindsay, "He asked me to curl my fingers over thumb, and place my fingers around my wrist, just like I showed you earlier and sure enough, the signs were positive. I didn't understand what was going on, but I can remember that feeling like I did something wrong, because my Dad suddenly burst out in tears. That was the first and only time I ever saw my dad cry, and I think it was because he finally realized that my moms accident could have been prevented if they only knew."

Lindsay placed her hands on her knees.

"I was at the doctors the next day," said Lindsay, "They did a genetic test on me, confirmed it, and prescribed me beta blockers to keep my blood pressure down. Thankfully, mine is not as severe as my moms, so I didn't need glasses or any kind of dental work. I did have to wear a back brace for a little while for my scoliosis, and still get routine eye exams and scans to check my aorta for any issues. I take my disdain of sports as a sign from God, protecting me from any possible accidents prior to my diagnosis. The doctors said that I am allowed to run, play non contact sports, and exercise if I wanted to, but my Dad gets really nervous when I do. He's very protective of me when it comes to my Marfan Syndrome, which is understandable considering that he doesn't want to risk losing me like he lost my mom."

There was a slight pause, after which Lindsay decided to continue her story where she let off.

"Anyway, from that point forward, all of my future Christmas and birthday kits were sets of nail polish, dolls and toy hair supplies, which I immediately loved," said Lindsay, "My Dad would do everything he could to encourage my hobbies, and let me be myself. While he had no idea about anything to do with cosmetology, he did occasionally allow me to style his hair."

Lindsay turned towards Lee with a grin.

"And I'm not ever supposed to admit this," said Lindsay, "But between you and me, he would let me use him as a test subject for makeup application every night."

The two girls shared a giggle, after which Lindsay continued.

"Even though he did his best, and I never doubted my dad loved me more than anything, I could still tell that he was depressed deep down inside," said Lindsay, "Depressed over losing my mom, and depressed over the fact that he felt as though he wasn't able to adequately serve as a father and mother figure simultaneously."

Lindsay turned back towards the way, appearing to become quite distressed as she swallowed.

"My Dad is a very smart guy, but he is quite socially naive," said Lindsay, "That combined with the fact that he was clinically depressed made him quite easy to manipulate, and made him the perfect target for the queen of them all, Edyta Babik."

Lindsay paused.

"Even though she's been in my life for ten years, there's very little I know about Edyta's past," said Lindsay, "All's I know is that she apparently immigrated here from Poland when she was a pre-teen, and knew my mom and dad from high school where she was the leader of the stupid cheer squad. From what I know, she was a bully in high school, and while people seemed to like her, they more or less feared her."

Lindsay took a breath.

"I can remember the first day I met her," said Lindsay, "I was up in my room playing with my cash register when I heard an unfamiliar female voice from downstairs. As you know Edyta speaks with a pretty thick accent and broken english; it was pretty unusual to me to hear that kind of voice so I snuck downstairs and hid right outside the entrance to the living room to listen..."

 _A young Lindsay, clad in a pink pajama top with matching purple bottoms sat in a fetal position, hidden behind a wall next to the entryway into her homes living room. Inside her father Chuck sat in one of the arm chairs; a few feet away sitting in the second arm chair was the small frame of Edyta Babik, clad in an old grey coat that had appeared to have seen better days._

 _Lindsay listened as the two adults shared a conversation within._

 _"Listen, I have to be honest with you Edyta," said Chuck, "I feel really uncomfortable about this, I mean we never really knew each other and I really didn't like the way you treated my friends in high school."_

 _"Chucky," said Edyta with a sincere expression, "Words in any language cannot describe the regrets I feel for being person I was in high school. I am no longer a bad person, not since I experienced what it feels like to be on other side. Please, I am homeless, I have nowhere to go, you are only one I can find that still remembers me from those days. I liked Tiffany very much, and I wish to help you to repay my debts to harm I caused her by hurting her friends."_

 _Edyta placed her hand on Chuck's shoulder._

 _"Let's make deal," said Edyta, "I stay here for little while, I'm good with the children. Little Tiffany needs mother figure, no? I help Tiffany learn the ways of being a woman, including hair, makeup, fashion beauty, I am quite skilled at those things. For you, I clean house, and make food while you work."_

 _At that point, tears began streaming down Edyta's face._

 _"Please," said Edyta, "I'll do anything, please give me chance to get back on feet and help atone for bad things I have done."_

 _Chuck, being the kind-hearted individual he was thought long and hard about Edyta's proposition. He turned away from the woman, placing his hand over his mouth for a few seconds, after which he emitted a long drawn out sigh._

 _"Alright," said Chuck, "I'll let you stay and help out around the house and with Tiffany on three conditions."_

 _Edyta ceased crying and nodded as if to oblige._

 _"First, we do not share a room, or have any form of relationship whatsoever," said Chuck, "My heart does and will always belong to Tiff."_

 _"Hun, you definitely don't have to worry about that..." said Edyta._

 _"Two," said Chuck, "I was raised to believe that men and women should not be living together out of wedlock, and I wish to continue to instill our families conservative and religious values in Little Tiffany. As much as I hate to do this, we are going to need to pretend to be married, at least until Tiffany is old enough to understand."_

 _"Agree," said Edyta._

 _"Three," said Chuck, "No matter what, Tiffany always comes first. I love that little girl more than anything else in the world, and I expect that you will help me to do everything to ensure she is raised right and feels loved."_

 _"Absolutely," said Edyta, "That is something you will never have to worry about."_

 _Chuck spent a few moments staring into Edyta's eyes with concern, seemingly pondering the major decision he was in the process of making. After a few moments, he nodded and proceeded to yell towards the entryway._

 _"Tiffany!" yelled Chuck, "Come down to the living room for a minute Scout!"_

 _Lindsay paused for a few moments as if to pretend she was in the process of making her way to the living room. Eventually, she stood up and slowly walked into the room._

 _"Tiffany, this is my special friend Edyta," said Chuck as he turned towards Edyta, "Edyta this is Little Tiffany."_

 _The little girl and petite woman remained silent staring at each other with neutral expressions for a few moments. Eventually, Edyta rose up off if the chair and approached Lindsay, kneeling down to her eye level._

 _"So this is Little Tiffany," said Edyta with a smile, " She's a pretty one, just like the mother."_

 _"Say Hi Little T," said Chuck._

 _Lindsay paused for a moment._

 _"Hello," said Lindsay in a breathy, low volume voice._

 _"Don't worry," said Chuck as he giggled, "She's got the gift of gab, just like Tiff. Give her a couple of days, and you'll see it."_

 _"No problem," said Edyta as she glanced towards Chuck with a grin, "As I've said, I enjoy working with the children, and I can already tell she's got a lot of the mother in her."_

 _Edyta turned back towards Lindsay, adopting a sly smile as she spoke._

 _"I think we will get along just fine..." said Edyta as she stared into Lindsay's eyes._

"From that first day, I knew there was something that I couldn't trust about that woman," said Lindsay, "They say you can tell a lot about a person from their eyes, and she was no exception. Even though I was only four, I could sense something not quite right, an evil presence, as if she were the devil itself on earth."

"Just as good of a read on people as I remember," said Lee, "I've only seen the bitch a couple of times, but I got the same feeling from her the first day I saw her, the day she yanked you away from me. I didn't say a word about it to Marie and May, but I can remember thinking about you for the rest of the night. It was an eerie feeling, her eyes actually made me sick to the stomach, and she reeked the feeling of that kind of adult that you know not to trust."

"Precisely," said Lindsay as she stared towards Lee's bedroom wall, "I knew that awesome intellect of yours would allow you to pick up on her modus operandi from that short interaction."

Lindsay paused, after which she decided to continue with her story.

"It only took a week for her to begin showing signs of who she really was," said Lindsay, "My Dad and my Mom were huge video game nerds, and naturally so was I. One day, over the summer while my Dad was at work I decided to spend the afternoon playing games and drinking orange juice like I usually did. However, when Edyta found out I was playing video games, it was like she suddenly snapped. While I sat on the couch, she screamed at me for what seemed like an eternity. She told me I had to be a dignified lady, and that real women do not play video games and only care about being beautiful. She also went off about how women shouldn't ever play sports, even though I never even showed any interest in playing ball."

Lindsay paused, her hands shaking slightly as she spoke of her past.

"As quickly as it turned on," said Lindsay, "It suddenly turned off. She stopped yelling, and started apologizing in a gentle tone. She hugged me, told me she was sorry, and how we can keep this little mix up between 'us girls.' She left the room in smiles, leaving me alone on the couch; I can remember being confused, all the while shaking out of fear. I knew it was all a game, and I knew in the bottom of my heart that what I saw that day was just the beginning."

Lindsay continued trembling, the tremors seeming to increase exponentially as her breathing continued to quicken. Lee quickly took notice of Lindsay's condition and grabbed her hand.

"Liz," said Lee as she stared at Lindsay, "Come on calm down, I don't want your blood pressure up over this. You don't have to say any more if you don't want to."

"No," said Lindsay as she whipped towards Lee, pulling her hand away from hers. "I'm done lying, and I'm done hiding. You're gonna get the whole truth, just like I promised."

Lindsay sniffled slightly.

"Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened in my life," said Lindsay, "You were the only person outside of my family that ever 'got me', and that I knew I could trust. I went home the night we met so excited to tell my Dad that I finally made a friend when he got home."

Lindsay paused.

"Edyta picked me up from school that day," said Lindsay, "I can remember I told her that I made a friend, something that excited her quite a bit, I guess because that meant I was on my way to being 'popular' or something. Just like that first time though, for reasons I still don't understand, her mood took a nose dive as soon as I told her your name."

"My name?" asked Lee, "How the hell would she even know who I was?"

"I don't know," said Lindsay, "But I will tell you that at the mere mention of your name, she suddenly slammed on the brakes as she pulled the car towards the curb. I was in the back seat, and she whipped around to face me with those angry eyes once again. She told me that I was not to be seen with you ever again, and that you were nothing but no good trash, going on and on forever about how I was going to get head lice from you and how you bathed in water filled with cockroaches. It was horrible, I never heard anyone say anything so mean about someone they didn't even know. I knew it was wrong, so I kind of just ignored it, and just like last time, she suddenly stopped. She turned back around and continued driving, not saying another word for the rest of the day, and acting like nothing ever even happened."

Lindsay collected her thoughts all the while appearing increasingly more nervous.

"Playing with you just felt like the right thing to do," said Lindsay as she turned towards Lee with a smile, "We always had much fun together, figuring out how to turn our differences into strengths and always working as a team towards our common goal. Call me crazy, but I always had this weird feeling that we belonged together, like we were destined to be friends for some reason...it's a really funny feeling, it's like..."

"We were friends in a past life or something," said Lee, "Like we knew each other before, but just didn't remember it."

"Yeah," said Lindsay as she looked into Lee's eyes, her nervousness briefly disappearing, "I can't believe you felt it too."

The girls remained locked in gaze for a few seconds, both with smiles on their faces, after which they both shrugged off their feelings.

"So I decided to keep playing with you," said Lindsay, "As much as I wanted to tell my Dad I had a friend, and introduce you to him, I kept it all a secret so that Edyta wouldn't go off again. That's why I never invited you over my house, and we always went to yours to play."

Lindsay turned back towards the wall as she crossed her legs.

"My life changed completely that day," said Lindsay, "We were talking about a sleepover over your house when Edyta caught us. What you witnessed was the tip of the ice berg, one of her little 'blowups' I told you about earlier. However, when we got home, I finally realized what she is fully capable of, and ever since then she has had no qualms about exposing her true nature when we are alone."

At that point tears started streaming down Lindsay's face.

"She dragged me by my arm down the street," said Lindsay, "My joints are really sensitive, and I can remember feeling like my shoulder was going to dislocate with ever step. She threw me into the cars back seat, and drove us back to our house. My Dad didn't get home for about another hour and a half, so she had free reign to do whatever she wished, and it happened to be my first experience of 'The Training'."

Lindsay began shaking heavily, as she placed her hand over her mouth, tears flowing down her face at a rapid pace.

"Sat sat me in a wooden chair in our garage," said Lindsay, "She kept slapping me over and over again, saying to repeat after her, that I shouldn't play with you anymore. She was good at what she did, cause she knew how to do it to hurt me, but not to leave visible marks. After the slapping..."

Lindsay gulped.

"After the slapping...came the flames," said Lindsay, "The first time she...bu...burned me it was a few nicks with one of those torches my dad use to solder pipes. She only did it on my wrists, so that in the event that it was found or I told, it could be blamed on self harm."

Lee watched with an expression anger, shock, and surprise as Lindsay continued.

"Burning was the punishment for my right arm," said Lindsay, "In the future, she started to improvise more, using cigarette lighters, or the stove if it was available. As for my left arm...it was much simpler. Razor blades and broken glass were the weapon of choice."

At that point, Lindsay could no longer hold back the flood of tears that began streaming down her face, smearing her makeup in the process.

"It was sick," said Lindsay, "She got some kind of thrill out of hurting me, and coming up with methodical ways of doing it...she told me if I ever told anyone about it, she'd kill them. She tells me all the time that I killed my mom, and I needed to do everything she said or she'd kill my Dad, my Baba and my Granny and Grampy, and then I'd belong to her...I didn't know what to do, I had to protect my Dad, I had to do what she said, I had to keep taking it for them!"

At that point Lindsay suddenly rose up to her feet, tears streaming down her face as she began yelling in a distressed intonation.

"Torturing me to get me away from you was only the beginning!" yelled Lindsay, "You want to know what I've been through for the last ten years of my life? Well a pictures worth a thousand words!"

Lindsay took hold of the zipper securing her designer coat in the closed position, and proceeded to unzip it. Once fully open, she removed the garment and placed it on Lee's bed, leaving Lindsay in a short sleeved lavender shirt.

Lee's eyes widened as Lindsay's seldom exposed forearms came into full view, placing her hand over her mouth as her eyes became slightly glassy. Lindsay's right forearm seemed to be covered in a large amount of scar tissue, some of which appeared to have been medically restored to normal, a result of repeated glazing burns. On her left wrist were numerous scars, similar to those of individuals who commit wrist self harm with razor blades.

At that point, Lindsay began to go on a seemingly endless tirade, lifting her arms and pointing to a different part of her flesh as she spoke.

"These are only the recent ones that haven't healed yet!" yelled Lindsay in a hysteric manner, "But I can remember every last one of them. Three burns and two cuts for playing with you, a burn for not making junior cheer captain, two cuts for not walking properly down the aisle at Kindergarten graduation, three burns for losing to you in that crafting competition back in third grade, and way TOO MANY TO FUCKING COUNT JUST BECAUSE SHE FELT LIKE HURTING ME THAT DAY!"

At the completion of her statement, Lindsay collapsed back onto Lee's bed, taking a seated position as she buried her face into her hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Lee observed Lindsay's display for a few moments. As tears trickled down her face from underneath her glasses, she moved closer towards her sobbing former friend, and slowly placed her arms around her shoulders in a loving embrace.


	76. Chapter 76

**Chapter 76**

Lindsay had cried for around seven minutes straight following the completion of her tale. She eventually managed to regain control of herself, breathing heavily as she sat on Lee's bed while staring at the far wall.

Lee had provided Lindsay a couple of tissues from a box on her vanity to clear her nose, as well as the eyeliner that had smeared down her cheeks. The usually boisterous blonde girl had remained completely silent as she wiped her face while sniffling every few seconds, her hands trembling as Lee observed with sadness.

"I couldn't sleep," said Lindsay, "The burns stung all night, and just the weight of my sleeves on by wrists made me want to cry. Not only did I have to deal with the pain, both physically and mentally, but I also had to lie to my dad about why I looked so sad, and figure out a way to tell you that we weren't friends anymore."

Lindsay turned towards Lee.

"I had no choice," said Lindsay, "You don't know how much it hurt me to have to tear our picture up, and look you in the eyes and tell you we couldn't play together anymore. Not only couldn't I be friends with you, but I was forced to become this stupid puppet, competing against you, with the potential price of my dads life at stake."

Lindsay paused.

"It was at that point that I made a decision," said Lindsay, "If I couldn't have you as a friend, I'd turn you into my rival to appease Edyta. At least under that pretense I'd be able to keep you in my life."

Lee's eyes widened as Lindsay reached into her handbag.

"I have two things I'd like to show you," said Lindsay, "A little late and not worth much anymore, but I think these belong to you."

At that point, Lindsay removed a small pair of black rimmed glasses from her bag. The glasses appeared to have been made for a small child, and were in less than pristine condition. The nosepiece was repaired with a thick wrapping of masking tape, due to them being cracked in half at some point in time. The left lens was cracked in a pattern similar to that of a spiders web, while the right lens was completely missing.

Lee adopted a surprised expression as Lindsay held the spectacles up for her to see. The redheaded girl slowly lifted her hand up towards her mouth as she replied in a gentle, motherly voice.

"Are those...my old glasses?" asked Lee.

"Yep," said Lindsay, "After I left you that morning, I crawled underneath the jungle gym, collapsed on the ground, and cried until school started. When the teacher called us to come into the classroom, I saw them on the ground all smashed up and decided to take them home to see if my Dad could fix them, with the idea being to sneak them into your cubby the next day. I told him I found them and wanted to use them to play scientist at playtime the next day. Obviously, there was no way they could be fixed, but God knows I tried."

Lee took the glasses out of Lindsay's hands, and examined them with a saddened expression. Lindsay turned towards the redhead with a smile, attempting to brighten the mood with a joke,

"You're as blind as a bat without them after all," said Lindsay, "I remember that one time I asked you if I could try them on and instantly regretted it. I felt like I was gonna hurl from how distorted the world was, and I couldn't believe that's what you saw when you weren't wearing them. How in the world did you go without new ones for all of those years?"

Lee continued to examine the glasses as she replied in a melancholy expression.

"It's easy when you just don't care," said Lee.

Lindsay's smile returned to a frown as Lee continued.

"I was so upset after you tore up our picture up that I couldn't think straight," said Lee, "I sat in the middle of the playground, crying for what seemed like forever until the teacher called us into the classroom. As I stood up, my glasses fell off of my face and onto the ground. All's I can remember is hearing the words 'geek girl' and 'I'll never be friends with a four-eyed wierdo like you' over and over again, to the point where I became disgusted by them. It was then that I decided I wasn't ever going to wear them again, so I stomped them with my foot as I walked into the building."

The two girls remained in silence for a few moments, at which point Lee rose from her seated position. She approached her vanity, and used her key to open the leftmost drawer as she continued the conversation.

"Well since we're taking a trip down memory lane," said Lee, "I got a couple things I wanna show you too."

Lee reached into the drawer and removed the slightly tattered blue bow that once adorned Lindsay's head on a daily basis. She held it out for Lindsay to see.

"Recognize this?" asked Lee.

"My bow!" said Lindsay with a smile as she took the bow in her hands.

"Yep," said Lee, "I always thought that bow looked cute on ya, so when I saw it sitting in the trash that afternoon I figured I'd save it in the event you'd come back to your senses."

The girls observed the tattered bow, covered in ten year old stains with blank stares. Realizing the irony of Lee's statement, the girls turned towards each other and emitted a slight giggle.

"It's the thought that counts!" said Lindsay, after which she adopted a serious expression prior to continuing, "I knew how much you liked the bow. You used to mess with me everyday telling me it was crooked, and watch me run to the mirror to adjust it, playing into what you would call my 'inner looney fashionista'. It was those memories attached to this thing that made me decide I didn't want to wear it anymore. Every time I saw it, it reminded me of you so I decided to get rid of it even though it was my favorite thing to wear."

As Lindsay completed her explanation, Lee reached into the drawer once again.

"For what it's worth," said Lee in a gentle tone, "I also saved this."

Lee removed a small piece of paper, keeping its contents hidden as she slowly made her way back over towards Lindsay. As she sat down on the bed, she reached her hand out while simultaneously bringing the torn piece of paper up to Lindsay's eye level.

The blonde divas eyes widened as a familiar children's drawing came into view. While Lindsay knew Lee had possession of her half of their beloved drawing from conversations with Eddy, seeing it firsthand seemed to touch the girl emotionally. Lee appeared quite teary-eyed as well, her hand shaking somewhat due to the intense emotions running through her mind.

"I was able to get my half before the wind blew it away," said Lee, "I tried to get yours too, but I wasn't fast enough, the wind took it around the corner before I could grab it."

Lee continued to stare forwards as if she were in a trance, only to be interrupted by the soft sound of her old friends voice.

"LeeLee," said Lindsay, prompting Lee to turn her attention towards her.

Lee watched as Lindsay reached into her handbag, and slowly removed her own torn piece of construction paper. She slowly lifted the page, her eyes appearing wide and glassy, revealing her half of the drawing.

At that point, a small tear emanated from Lee's right eye, and began falling down her cheek. The redheaded girl slowly raised her hand up to her mouth, placing her palm over it as her eyes appeared ever more glassy.

"You...you have yours?" said Lee in a gentle voice, "And you kept it?"

Lindsay said nothing, merely nodding as she attempted to hold in tears of her own. After a few moments, Lee held her drawing out in front of her, with the ripped portion facing Lindsay. The tall blonde girl responded by positioning her drawing in the same manner, slowly moving the torn portion toward that of Lee's.

Eventually the two halves were within millimeters of each other. The two girls hands trembled as they observed the drawing they had worked on so many years ago, the two halves reunited after a ten year separation.

With one final motion, both girls moved their hands inward simultaneously, aligning the tears of the drawing and completing the words that had been written on the top:

LeeLee and Lizzy Best Friends Forever

The girls slowly turned towards each other, locking eyes with expressions of sadness. Around five seconds elapsed, at which point Lindsay's bottom lip began to tremble, as small tears began to trickle down her face.

In an instant, the proverbial flood gates seemed to open; Lindsay's eyes began to emit tears at an alarming rate, as she began sobbing uncontrollably. After a slight delay, Lee began crying heavily as well, as she continued to hold her palm over her mouth.

Suddenly, Lindsay opened up her arms while leaning toward her ginger friend; Lee followed suit, returning the gesture as both girls moved toward each other. Eventually, both girls wrapped their arms around each other's torso, placing their cheeks on the others shoulder as they squeezed in a loving embrace; a gesture that had not been displayed in years.

"I never wanted to lose you LeeLee," said Lindsay in an upset tone, catching her breath in between sentences as she sobbed, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry for everything! For calling you geek girl, for picking on you with all my fake friends, for tearing our picture up...for making fun of your little sisters, and for being so mean all of those years...I never wanted any of it, I was forced to do it or she was going to hurt me...she was going to hurt me or kill my dad!...I hated doing it!...You were the best friend a girl could have, and I treated you so horribly...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry."

As Lindsay continued to sob, Lee began patting her back as she too emitted profuse tears. As she comforted her friend, she decided to reply.

"It's alright Lizz," said Lee, "It wasn't your fault...it wasn't you...everything's gonna be alright...everything's gonna be alright Liz."

For the next few minutes, two best friends, turned against each other in a horrible twist of fate, sat consoling each other with a loving embrace, and embrace that neither had imagined would ever be able to happen. For the first time in forever, Lindsay felt free to express her intense bottled up emotions, built up from years of living under Edyta's rule and her involuntary servitude to the diabolical woman's wrath. The same was true for Lee, who had spent years watching her best friend live a lie against her will, powerless to help the poor girl; in her mind, this embrace and emotional outpour was long overdue.

Eventually, both girls calmed down and returned to their positions seated on the edge of the bed. As they regained their composure, Lindsay turned her head towards her signature fur coat, still resting next to her on Lee's bed.

"That coat was once my mother's," said Lindsay, "My Dad bought it for my mom as a Christmas present when they were in eleventh grade. He gave it to me a couple of years ago, along with all of my moms old trophies and pictures, and I've worn it every winter since. It's still a little too long for me, but I did a temporary mod to the sleeves so it will fit me for the time being. I won't need it for long though, because the doctors said I'd even out to a lovely 6'5" by the end of tenth grade."

"Wait a minute," said Lee, "I thought that coat was the same one you wore since you were a kid and you just got it altered as you grew."

"Nope," said Lindsay, "That coat that I wore as a little girl was similar but slightly different. It was a darker shade of maroon and had cheaper trim, not the imitation rabbits fur on my moms coat."

Lindsay paused.

"Edyta brought that coat home for me after a couple of weeks of living with us," said Lindsay, "It's weird, it's like she bought one in an attempt to imitate my moms coat. Not only that, but as I got older, I would catch Edyta trying to break into my dads drawers and safes, where he kept all of my moms old trophies and pictures."

Lindsay turned towards Lee.

"I haven't figured it out yet, but I know in the bottom of my heart she's got some kind of ulterior motive for suddenly coming into our life," said Lindsay, "She's so obsessed with getting her hands on all of my mother's things, but the only thing I know is that they went to high school together, and Edyta was a mean spirited bully."

After a slight sniffle, Lindsay decided to continue.

"I knew my moms legacy was in danger, so I decided to take action," said Lindsay, "I lied to my dad, again, and asked him if I could take down the big portrait of my mom and dad on their wedding day hanging over the fireplace. I told him that even though I never met my mom, the picture of her made me sad, and said I'd keep it in my room until I was ready to face it again. I bought a secure lockbox, and a lockable wardrobe, and hid all of my moms belongings inside. All of my moms basketball trophies, her pictures, high school yearbook, wedding dress, home movies, and the only video I have of her during one of her television interviews for my dads business, are locked away in my room under double layer security...the lockboxes, and the door to my room."

Lindsay reached into her cost pocket and removed her keychain, holding the silver rings up for Lee to see.

"And these stay with me at all times," said Lindsay, "I'll be damned if that bitch ever touches anything of my moms."

Lindsay turned back towards the coat.

"As for my coat, I wear it to honor my mother, as well as to provide the ultimate security against theft," said Lindsay, "How fitting that I use it to cover up my injuries..."

"So let me ask ya this," said Lee, "How'd you wind up at camp with me, and find yourself in Peach Creek?"

Lindsay sighed.

"I couldn't take it anymore," said Lindsay, "When you moved away, I felt more lost than ever. And even though my relationship with you seemed to be Edyta's fixation, the abuse and torture still didn't end. Whether it was losing a fashion contract, or spilling a can of beet juice, it was the same thing. I needed to do something to make it stop, and I needed you..."

Lindsay paused for a moment to catch her breath.

"I went into the school counselor the next day and showed her my arms," said Lindsay, "I lied again, like the coward I am. I told her that I was hurting myself, and that I was depressed over my grades and the fact that I felt like I caused my mother's death. Naturally, I was sent to therapy, and was prescribed two weeks at the troubled youth camp. I told them that I was having a lot of trouble with the kids in the city. That coupled with the fact that my Dad was planning on moving allowed me to persuade my family to come to Peach Creek, where I knew you'd be. In the bottom of my heart, I knew that eventually we would be able to one day be like we used to be, but the only way it would be able to happen is if we were still together."

The two girls sat in silence for a few seconds, after which Lindsay decided to continue.

"With the way things are going tonight, I'd say in hindsight it was a good idea," said Lindsay.

"Yeah," said Lee, "It all makes sense now."

"I never expected to see you at the camp though," said Lindsay, "Even though our relationship was toxic, and it wasn't exactly the best place to be given the circumstances that warrant being sent there, it was a welcome surprise."

The two girls giggled slightly, after which Lee sighed and turned towards Lindsay with a melancholy expression.

"Well," said Lee, "I guess I should tell you why I was at the camp."

"You don't have to," said Lindsay, "I know..."

"Wait," said Lee, "There's no way you could..."

"Your moms apartment was two blocks behind my house," said Lindsay, "Sometimes, when I couldn't sleep at night, I would get my binoculars and use them to look at the stars. Because my room was on the top floor, I also had a birds eye view of the window into your apartment, and sometimes I'd take a glance over to see if you were alright."

Lindsay turned away from Lee, staring at the far wall as she continued.

"One night," said Lindsay, "I realized it had been a long time since I checked up on you, and decided to aim the binoculars at your room...I turned away before anything really bad happened, but I knew what that sick bastard had in mind."

Lee listened to Lindsay's story in a state of shock, her eyes watering slightly as she recalled some of her life's worst memories.

"I didn't sleep for the remainder of the night," said Lindsay, "Nobody was hurting you if I had anything to do about it. I spent the night writing an anonymous letter, and sneakily dropped it into your dads mailbox the next morning, telling him what I saw, and that he might want to check up on you the next night..."

At that point, tears began trickling down Lee's face once again, at which point she touched her hand to Lindsay's shoulder.

"Liz..." said Lee in a gentle manner, "You saved me...?"

Lindsay glanced towards the wall, closed her eyes, and slowly nodded up and down as tears trickled from Lee's eyes. In an instant, Lee once again reached out towards her friend, squeezing her tightly in a loving embrace as she released gratuitous tears. Lindsay returned the embrace, rubbing Lee's back as she looked toward the ceiling while holding back tears of her own.

Suddenly, Lee regained control of her emotions pulled away from Lindsay.

"Well guess what?" asked Lee, "It's time for me to return the favor, there's no way I'm going to leave my best friend hanging, especially after all she's done for me."

"But LeeLee," said Lindsay, "Edyta's going to be..."

"But nothing," said Lee as she suddenly rose to her feet, and repositioned herself in front of Lindsay while placing her hands on her hips, "I don't give a shit what Edyta does, as long as it involve anything to do with your life."

Lee leaned her face towards Lindsay's.

"Here's the deal," said Lee, "You and me are gonna come up with a nice little plan to put Edyta Babik in her place, get her out of your life, and pay you back double for all those years she hurt you and dishonored your family. Then once that's over and done with, you and your Dad are gonna come to our house on Christmas Eve and participate in the festivities."

Lindsay looked up into Lee's eyes with a melancholy expression.

"Come to your party?" asked Lindsay, "But everyone hates me..."

Lee ran her fingers through her relatively tangled hair, after which she began speaking in a rather sincere manner.

"Liz," said Lee, "They hate Edyta Babik, not Tiffany Lindsay Statorowski. Everyone with the exception of myself has only met the former, and it's time they met the latter."

Lindsay cracked a slight smile as Lee adopted a grin of her own.

"Everything will be fine," said Lindsay, "I promise."

At that point, Lee lifted her right hand in the air, making a fist while extending her pinky finger out towards Lindsay. As tears of joy formed in the blonde divas eyes, she smiled, and reached her hand up to return the gesture. The girls locked pinky's, echoing the moment they had first met many years ago in the school playground, smiling from ear to ear as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Best friends forever?" asked Lee.

"Forever and Ever," said Lindsay, "Let's never let that happen again."

Lindsay rose to her feet, released pinky from Lee's, and shared another loving embrace with her friend. With that small gesture, the friendship between Kanker and Statorowski, split by the actions of Edyta Babik had finally been reignited; and both girls could not be any happier.

"Okay, I trust you LeeLee," said Lindsay as she pulled away, keeping her hands on Lee's shoulders as she reinitiated eye contact, "Let's do it, I have so much ammo on that bitch it's not even funny, and the best part is she doesn't even realize it!"

"Interesting," said Lee, "I like your style, care to elaborate?"

"Edyta thinks she's so slick," said Lindsay, "She is fully fluent in Polish, and constantly has conversations on the phone with her acquaintances in front of me and my Dad using it. Totally ignorant for anybody to do by the way, but I know for a fact she's using it to hide some secrets of her own."

Lindsay cracked a sly grin.

"When I was little, she got my dad to buy a television package that contained channels in her native polish language," said Lindsay, "What she doesn't know is that due to my distrust in her, I tuned into those channels every night from the time I was three to five, watching anything from soccer to cartoons, absorbing the language like a sponge. It's funny how the mind of a child can pick up language so easily. I'm fully fluent, and she doesn't even realize it!"

"Get the hell outta here," said Lee playfully.

"Jest dla mine więcej niz na oko, Annalee, (There's more to me than meets the eye Annalee)" said Lindsay in perfectly accented Polish voice, surprising her best friend.

"Damn," said Lee, "Go ahead Lindsay!"

"Just being amazing as always!," said Lindsay in a playful manner as she flicked her hair behind her head, "So here's a proposition for you. I did find out through eavesdropping that Edyta is going to be away from the house until tomorrow afternoon, and given the circumstance it looks like we have some planning to do...how's about we pick up where we left off, and finally have that sleepover we tried to set up all those years ago? We can do it at my house tonight. I'll introduce you to my dad, eat some snacks, figure out how we're gonna handle our situation..."

Lindsay pointed downward towards the floor.

"And most importantly, work on those poor feet of yours," said Lindsay.

At that moment Lee glanced down towards her bare feet, currently protruding out from underneath her pajama bottoms. Her toes were quite misshapen and calloused, due to years of training to stand on the tips as part of her ballet routine. Their grotesque appearance was further augmented by severally chipped red nail polish.

Lee punched Lindsay playfully as the blonde girl giggled.

"You bitch," said Lee, "My feet are too busy doing their job to be pretty, unlike yours which probably look as good as those hands of yours!"

"Nope," said Lindsay, "No open-toed shoes for me..."

"Seriously," said Lee, "I thought a dainty little debutante like you would get the whole package."

"Hello," said Lindsay in a long drawn out manner, "Marfan syndrome, Hammer Toes, duh! I'd show you, but I don't feel like taking off my boots! I'm not going to be able to wear heels for too much longer because I'm too tall, and I can't wear open toed shoes to show off my pedicure, what's a girl to do!?"

The two girls paused for a few moment, after which they shared a brief laugh. Conversations such as these were common back in their days of friendship, and it was quite welcome to both girls to be taking part in them once again.

"I'll tell you what you can do," said Lee, "You can count me in for that sleepover, but first I got some unfinished business to take care of. I gotta make a little stop at the Waterfall Room so I can official make up with my Little Man. I ain't planning on staying for too long, those fancy fancy balls aren't my scene. I gave the dress I was planning to wear away to charity anyway."

"Are you sure?," asked Lindsay, "I have a spare dress and shoes if you want to borrow them for a bit?"

"Nah," said Lee, "I'm going as myself. Not some little prissy princess wind up doll."

Lindsay smiled as she delivered a nod to her friend, after which she adopted a serious expression.

"Alright," said Lindsay as she made her way towards Lee's vanity, and proceeded to examine her hair products, "Let's see what you're working with."

"What's going on?" asked Lee.

"You're going to go meet your boyfriend right?" asked Lindsay, "I can't let my bestie go meet her man with all that frizz flying everywhere, let alone go out in public."

"Don't worry your head loose," said Lee, "This ain't the worst he's ever seen me. Check this out."

Lee reached into her vanity drawer and retrieved two photographs; one depicting her and her sisters standing in front of her trailer the summer they moved to Peach Creek, and the other being the photograph taken at picture day back in middle school, depicting Lee holding up a peace sign as she sat spread eagle on the stool with a grin. Common between both photographs was the depiction of Lee during the time she had ceased caring about her body entirely, cutting her hair short and allowing it to fly free and hang over her eyes in wild curls.

"O-M-G," said Lindsay, "That was YOU!?"

"Yep," said Lee, "The night before we moved, I went into the bathroom with a pair of scissors and cut away. It wasn't until earlier this year I let it grow back again. I just stopped caring about myself, cause there was no reason to at that time of my life."

"Well there's a reason to now," said Lindsay, "Go wet your hair in the shower, towel dry it, and come back in here when your done. I've been envious of those smooth curls all of my life, and I'm finally gonna stand here and watch you style them. After that, get dressed; we'll hop on my scooter and head to the dance."

"Just as persuasive as always aren't we?" said Lee as she began making her way towards the door.

"Just trying to help a girl in need," said Lindsay.

Lee proceeded to open the door, making her way out toward the bathroom with a smile.


	77. Chapter 77

**Authors Note:**

 _Good afternoon everyone,_

 _In advance, I want to apologize for the short length of the chapter. I have been quite busy with my personal life, as well as other personal projects, and wanted to at least get something out this weekend, and truncate the "super chapter" comprising if this one and the next for length._

 _The next chapter is halfway done, and I expect it to be released sooner than later._

 _Here we go._

 **Chapter 77**

Back in the throws of the Waterfall Room, the students of Peach Creek High School had completed their dinner, and separated back into their individual cliques. The majority of the students had spent the last few minutes on the dance floor, moving to the sounds of several popular line dances commonly played at social gatherings, as several wall flowers flocked to the punch bowl.

Double Dee and Marie, neither being talented nor fond of line dancing, were one of several individuals mingling on the side lines of the dance floor. Kevin and Nazz had joined in on the festivities, both seamlessly carrying out the applicable dance steps in formation with most of the other teenagers; however a certain lovable oaf and his goofy girlfriend seemed to have different plans. Ed and May, due to not being familiar with the dance moves, were having a hard time keeping up with their peers; this coupled with the fact that May, not being accustomed to wearing a ball gown or any fancy dress, constantly tripped awkwardly, stumbling around the area of dance dance floor as if she were drunk. Nevertheless, the two free spirits were in their own little world, giggling and enjoying each others company despite their mishaps.

Eventually, the DJ decided to engage the crowd, calling the students to form into a circle while cuing up a funky beat. He then offered the opportunity for those with "funky feet" to come into the center of circle to show off their "mad dancing skills"; an obvious attempt to bring some excitement to the crowd.

As the circle began to form, Ed and May remained in their own little world, jumping up and down chaotically to the beat of the music as they giggled. Unfortunately, just as the DJ completed his request, Eds right shoe managed to become ensnared in the long red tail of Mays ball gown. This caused the slim boy to lose his balance, and unfortunately fall into the circle as he attempted to maintain his footing.

Mistaking Ed's presence in the circle as a sign of agreement to his little fun-filled deal, the DJ immediately placed his spotlight on the tall, red headed boy. Ed remained momentarily still, standing awkwardly as he stared in the direction if the stage, seemingly deep in thought.

To everyone's surprise, Ed slowly but surely began shrugging his shoulders, alternating between left and right to the beat of the music; this was soon followed by him swinging his hand back and forth, pointing his index finger in the air, emulating disco dancers he had seen on television as he cracked a smile.

Soon, Ed broke loose of his remaining stiffness and began moving his shoulders to the beat as the students standing in the circle began clapping. He then began executing various dance moves similar to those commonly performed by Michael Jackson, including the moonwalk. Sensing the end of his routine, the DJ decided to provide an "assist" by throwing a rose into the air, just as Ed fell to his knees and began sliding towards May. The dopey boy caught the flower in mid air, and presented it to his girlfriend just as he came to a stop.

May smiled and blushed as the entire student body clapped their hands, whistling at Ed's display. Near the punch bowl, Double Dee and Marie provided their own support, clapping their hands as both teenagers displayed smiles.

"Well it appears Ed and May are having quite the stellar evening," said Double Dee, "Ed's seemingly savant-like tendencies never cease to amaze me."

"Yeah," said Marie, "I never knew Ed had moves like that, I'm glad to see they're enjoying themselves, despite everything that's happened."

Marie's smile transformed to a frown as Double Dee turned his attention towards Eddy; the boy was currently leaning up against the wall. His right foot was planted flat on the floor, while he crossed his left foot in front of him; the toe of his shoe being in contact with the floor. His arms were folded as he stared towards the floor with a somber expression, paying no mind to the events occurring on the dance floor.

Double Dee sighed.

"Unfortunately Marie," said Double Dee, "The only thing to do at this point is to trust in the spirit of the season. The situation appears to be out of our hands, at least for now."

The boy turned back towards his girlfriend, holding his hand out towards her.

"Would you like to dance?" asked Double Dee.

Marie hesitated, momentarily maintaining a frown prior to mustering up a smile of her own.

"Let's kick it," said Marie as she took Double Dees hand, allowing herself to be escorted out to the dance floor.

Unbeknownst to the remainder of the Rethink Avenue clique, fate had seemed to take quite the positive turn; as Double Dee and Marie began their trek to the dance floor, a lavender Buddy scooter, carrying the newly reformed best friends Lee and Lindsay, had just turned onto the cross street, it's destination being a return trip to the waterfall room.

Lindsay piloted the scooter from the front, her blonde hair waving in the wind from underneath her purple helmet. Behind her, Lee sat with her hands wrapped around her abdomen. She had regained her composure and had donned her typical winter outfit; a green coat, blue jeans, and black high heeled boots. Her red hair, styled into freely hanging silky curls, flowed in the wind as well, held back from her face by a green head band.

As the scooter traveled down the street at a respectable thirty miles-per-hour, Lee decided to engage Lindsay in conversation over the loud knock of the two stroke engine.

"Pretty sweet hook-up ya got here Liz," said Lee.

"Thanks," said Lindsay, "It was my moms, my dad gave it to me when I turned fourteen, and I've been using it in secret ever since. He extended the wheelbase for my mom back when she bought it to fit her frame, so that her legs didn't have to be all scrunched up and look like she was driving a clown car. I guess it's a blessing that I'm freakishly tall..."

"That's the fifth time today I've heard ya refer to your height as freakish," said Lee, "You might be tall, but your proportions are amazing, and your face is a pretty as can be. You know how many girls would love to have those kind of attributes?"

"I guess," said Lindsay with a somber expression, "But, what guy is ever gonna want a six foot tall Amazon Woman?"

"Well, you're sitting here talkin' to me aren't ya?", asked Lee, "I'd say that's substantial proof that your dad had no problem falling in love and being attracted to a woman who was a foot taller than him. And look at me, my mans a whole head shorter than me, and the thought about the height difference never even crossed my mind. He's a great guy, and I know he's crazy about me. That's all that matters."

Lindsay activated the left turn signal and steered the scooter onto the home street of the waterfall room, electing to remain silent as she revved the engine for the final leg. As she did so, Lee playfully rolled her eyes as she leaned forward with a sly grin.

"But if you're that hung up on height," said Lee, "There's always Rolf."

Lee giggled as Lindsay rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, whatever," said Lindsay, "Alright, he _is_ a really nice guy when you get to know him. I mean, I don't understand anything he says for the most part, mostly because he speaks in proverbs and metaphors, but I don't doubt he's genuine in his actions."

As the scooter approached the venue, Lindsay turned the handlebars slightly to the right in an attempt to pull the scooter between two parked cars as she continued speaking.

"And I don't know what it is," said Lindsay, "But there's something sexy about the whole "farm-boy" thing. And after seeing him up close a few times, he is kind of cute."

Lindsay applied then brakes, stopping the scooter adjacent to the curb. Using her leather high-heeled boot, she placed the kick stand in the down position, deactivated the engine, and placed her feet on the ground. As she removed her helmet, Lindsay proceeded to whip around towards Lee with an angry, yet playful expression.

"If you tell ANYONE I just said that, I'll kill you," said Lindsay.

Lee giggled slightly.

"Uh Oh," said Lee as she stepped off of the scooter, "I think Lizzy's got a little crush on Rolfy-Boy."

Lindsay elected not to respond, glancing towards the concrete sidewalk as her cheeks began turning red.

"Confirmed," said Lee as she giggled and ran her fingers through her hair, "Don't worry, remember our oath we pledged all of those years ago? What happens between L&L, stays between L&L"

"Whatever," said Lindsay, as she glanced back towards Lee while unwrapping a piece of chewing gum, "Why don't you just focus on getting your man back for now?"

The two girls shared a smile. After a brief display of their "best friends forever" pinky promise, Lee turned away from the scooter and began walking towards the building.

"Keep the motor running", said Lee, "I'll be out in a few minutes, then we'll head to your house for our sleepover."

As Lee placed her hand on the door handle, she turned back towards Lindsay.

"Oh, and try not to think about Rolf too much," said Lee, "It's a long ride back to your house, and wet pants are pretty uncomfortable in the cold."

Lee laughed heavily as Lindsay adopted an expression of anger, while simultaneously blushing once again.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" yelled Lindsay in a playful manner as she threw the balled up gum wrapper in Lee's direction.

Lee giggled as she opened the wooden door, and disappeared into the interior of the building. Once Lee was out of sight, Lindsay proceed to remove her cell phone from her pocket. The blonde girl then adopted a genuine smile as she leaned against the scooter, using her thumb to scan various internet articles on investing as she awaited Lee's return.


	78. Chapter 78

**Chapter 78**

Inside the waterfall room, the dance was in full swing. As all of the students, including most of those from Rethink Avenue, danced to some more common popular line dance tunes, Eddy remained in his position, observing his friends have the time of their lives from afar.

The stout Ed boy appeared quite depressed; in his mind, the entire ordeal regarding his feud with Lee was his fault. As he stared into the distance, he couldn't help but wonder if his words of wisdom and experience he had channeled toward Lindsay managed to sink in. Even more so, he wondered how long it would take Lee to give him another chance at love, if that chance ever came.

As Eddy emitted a sigh, he noticed movement across the hall in his peripheral vision. The entrance door to the hall proper was located on the opposite side of Eddy's position, and although far away, the boy was able to make out a familiar female figure.

Lee had finally arrived at the dance. Her causal manner of dress caused her to stick out like a sore thumb amidst the myriad of three-piece suits and ball gowns. The red headed girl took a few steps forward, remaining still as her eyes scanned the room from behind her black rimmed glasses, attempting to locate her diminutive boyfriend and her friends.

A few seconds passed, at which point Lee's eyes finally located Eddy's stout frame. The two lovers locked eyes from across the room, their gaze uninterrupted by the myriad of individuals constantly passing between them on their way to the punch bowl. Lee adopted a sly grin placing her right hand on her hip, while simultaneously relaxing her pelvis to the right. At the same time, Eddy's face transformed from a frown to a smile as he stared across the room into his tall, beautiful girlfriends eyes; all the while wondering if her image was real or merely a illusion brought about by his overwhelming emotions.

Eventually, Lee emitted a slight giggle as she raised her right hand in the air, and proceeded to flick her index finger toward her as if to say "come here". Slowly but surely Eddy obliged, and began his journey towards the door, weaving his way through the crowds as he walked.

By this time, Double Dee and Marie had joined their peers on the dance floor; the students had organized into several lines, and were currently following the instructions dictated by the popular dance tune blaring from the DJ's speakers. These moves included several jumps, slides, and an invitation to "Salsa Now Yo", carried out in sequence as they were announced.

While Double Dee was quite focused on following the music, he had been keeping a keen eye on his loudmouthed best friend, due to being concerned for his well being. Naturally, he was quite intrigued to see Eddy vacate the position he had remained in for the entirety of the previous hour, and curious regarding his sudden the desire to move. As he observed his friend weave through the crowds, he turned his attention towards the area of the entry door, anticipating Eddy's final destination.

It was at that point that Double Dee discovered Lee's presence. The top-hatted boy immediately ceased dancing, focusing completely on the events taking place across the room. Marie, taking notice of Double Dee's sudden change, stopped dancing as well. She turned her attention towards her boyfriend, requesting an explanation for his sudden loss of will to dance; this action prompted the boy to simply point in the direction of Lee with a heartfelt smile.

Thirty seconds was all it took for Eddy to finally come within speaking distance of Lee. The small boy took a standing position around three feet away from his beautiful lady, staring up into her eyes with a genuine smile, as Lee returned the gesture with a smile of her own.

"Hey Babe," said Eddy, breaking the silence with a joke, "I'm glad to see you finally showed up."

"Hey, what is it they say?" asked Lee, "Better late than never, right?"

There was a slight pause, at which point Eddy decided to interject.

"Lee," said Eddy, "I'm sorry for everything that happened yesterday, and I'm sorry for going behind your back and trying to handle Lindsay my own way. It's just, you're honestly the best thing that ever happened to me, and I couldn't stand to see you so upset all of the time. In all honesty, I thought I was trying to do what was best for you, but I should have minded my own business and supported you instead of trying to cheat the system like I always seem to do."

Eddy approached Lee, and took her hands in his as he looked up towards her

"You mean more to me than anything Annalee Kanker," said Eddy, "I don't want us to end, even though I said so yesterday. Could you ever forgive me?"

There was a pause, at which point Lee decided to reply.

"Well Eddy, as much as it turns me on to have you beg me for forgiveness," said Lee in a playful manner, "I'm really the one who should be apologizing. I got so caught up in trying to outdo Lindsay, because we...well, that doesn't matter anymore, I'll tell ya all about it later. The point is I forgot about what is important to me in life. I ain't no debutante, prissy, ball gown wearing beauty queen, and I was a fool for trying to be something I wasn't just to prove a point."

Lee leaned down to eye level with Eddy, smiling as her voice adopted a gentle motherly tone.

"What really matters to me is you," said Lee, "I got so caught up in my past, that I neglected any feelings you may have had. I'm sorry for forcing you to dance ballet in front of the school like that, I should have never drug you into it."

"About that," said Eddy, "I said a lot of things out of anger yesterday, including the fact that dancing with you made me miserable. When I said I'd like to keep practicing with you after the talent show, I was really serious. I really enjoyed the time we spent together, and I have to say while I was scared at first it actually turned out fun."

Eddy paused, adopting a sly smile.

"Besides, all the guys are jealous of these guns thanks to your ballet training, " said Eddy as he struck a bodybuilders pose, "I gotta keep up with it if I want to keep them, and you gotta be crazy if you think I'm gonna pass up the opportunity to see you in that skin tight outfit again."

Lee giggled.

"That's great to hear," said Lee, "Just thinking of your cute little ass in those tights, and those hot muscles in a sleeveless shirt is making me blush."

Lee stood up straight as she playfully fanned herself, playing into their mutual joke. The couple shared a giggle, at which point Eddy decided to continue.

"So," said Eddy, "Do you forgive me?"

"Well duh," said Lee, in a playful manner, "Why do you think I'm here you moron."

The two shared a smile, at which point Lee leaned back down to eye level with her boyfriend..

"Enough of this crap," said Lee, "Let's kiss and make up."

At that point, Lee wrapped her hands around Eddy's shoulders as she pressed her lips to his, initiating a passionate kiss. At the same time, Eddy placed his hands on Lee's waist, pulling her closer to him in an effort to return her emotional display. After the chaos that had plagued the cul-de-sac for the last twenty four hours, as well as the ugly feud between Lee and Lindsay, the wistful kiss was quite satisfying for the couple, and the two enjoyed every minute of it.

Unbeknownst to couple, currently lost in their own little world of affection, the two remaining Kanker sisters and their boyfriends had taken notice of their reconciliation, and had decided to approach their position. As the two continued to lock lips with their eyes closed, Marie decided to be first to comment.

"Well oh well, what do we have here?" said Marie, "Looks like ya decided to show up after all?"

Lee promptly pulled away from Eddy, continuing to hold his right hand in hers as she stood erect. She turned her attention toward her sisters, both standing next to their boyfriends; Marie portraying a cocky grin, while May smiled in an endearing manner as she clasped her hands together. Double Dee, happy to see Lee and Eddy's relationship repaired, displayed a heartfelt expression, as his oafish friend displayed a dopey smile.

Lee spent a few moments playfully checking out her sisters ball gowns. It truly was a rarity to see the tomboyish Kankers "all dolled up", let alone wearing fancy evening gowns; Lee decided to take advantage of the situation, providing her own commentary with a sisterly joke.

"Oh jeez look at this," said Lee, "I gotta admit, youse two clean up quite nice when ya set you mind to it."

"Whelp, that confirms it, Lee's back to normal," said Marie, as she turned towards May with a smile, "I'm glad to see you finally drug your ass out of the house, but don't be jealous of how hot we look just because you showed up without a dress."

Marie and May shared a laugh.

"Huh, I could care less at this point," said Lee, "I realized how stupid I was for getting so hung up over this ball queen thing. I called the seamstress shop this morning and told them to give my dress away, let a girl who really cares about this shit have it."

Lee turned towards Eddy.

"All's I need to be happy are my family, my friends, and this little sexy stud right here," said Lee as she leaned down and delivered Eddy a long drawn out kiss on the cheek.

As the tall girl ran her fingers through her silky red curls, Double Dee decided to interject.

"Well, I certainly thank fate gratuitously that we can put all of the ugliness plaguing our beloved cul-de-sac behind us," said Double Dee, "And I am glad to see that you have decided to attend the dance on your own accord, and more importantly, on your own terms Lee."

Lee giggled.

"Huh, you kiddin?," asked Lee, "There ain't no way I'm sticking around for the rest of this mush fest. These fancy balls just ain't my scene, I just came by to make peace with my sweet little man. Besides, I promised my Mom I'd be back in a hour to help her get ready for the party tommorow night, and it's not like I have a dress anyway."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," said Double Dee with a smile.

"Yeah," said May, "Eddy's got a little surprise for you hanging on the coat rack outside."

Lee turned towards Eddy.

"Alright," said Lee, "What are ya hiding from me this time?"

Eddy glanced towards the floor, blushing slightly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"It's nothing really," said Eddy, "It's just, um...I saw how much you really wanted to win the ball crown, and after you told me that you couldn't wait to get dressed up together tonight just before we danced at the talent show, I decided that I would try to make that happen. So I decided to get a job after school to earn the money to buy you a custom ball gown. I worked all night, every night for the past week and finally got enough money to get it. That's why I couldn't make it to the parade, and blew off some of our dates. I'm sorry I didn't tell you Babe, I just wanted it to be a surprise."

Eddy glanced up towards his girlfriend, his face as red as a beet as he smiled awaiting her response.

"Are you serious?," said Lee as she displayed a very rare genuine smile, "You did that for me?"

"Yeah," said Eddy, "Why wouldn't I? You deserve it, Lee. You're always helping people, and even though you've got that little fire inside your belly, you're definitely the sweetest girl I know. You're my bad girl with a big heart, and I'd do anything to make you happy..."

Lee remained still, staring downward at her diminutive boyfriend with a radiant expression. While she generally did everything she could to mask any form of positive emotional expression, she could not stop her eyes from adopting a glassy appearance, overwhelmed by emotion due to Eddy's kind gesture.

After a few moments, Eddy approached Lee, reaching his hand up towards her shoulder.

"Please Babe," said Eddy, "I know you have plans with your mom, but give this short, loud mouthed, back street guy the chance to see the sexiest girl in Peach Creek in her beautiful ball gown, and the honor to share at least one dance with her."

Double Dee, Marie, Ed, and May stood by with smiles, observing their usual boisterous and brash friend display his rarely seen noble qualities, all the while anticipating Lee's response. Eventually, the tall girl leaned down into Eddy's face, and adopted an amorous grin.

"How in the world did I get so lucky to have a guy as sweet as you?" asked Lee, "Alright, you got yourself a deal, one dance in the dress you bought for me, shared with the most handsome guy it the dance."

At the conclusion of Lee's statement, Marie and May both turned towards each other. The two younger sisters joined both of their hands together, bouncing up and down out of excitement for their older sister. After a few moments, the girls made their way over to Lee, each grabbing one of her hands as they began pulling her towards the door leading out to the antechamber.

"I'm doing your hair!" yelled May.

"I'm doing your makeup!," yelled Marie.

"Whoah there, pump the brakes nutzos," said Lee, "How's about you let me concentrate on actually changing into the dress before we start worrying about hair, makeup and all that secondary bullshit."

Lee turned, beginning her walk towards the exit doors as she completed her statement.

"I'm gonna get the dress," said Lee, "Meet me in the head in about ten minutes, and then you can concentrate on painting my face."

"Whatever you say Lee," said Marie as she observed her sister open the door, and disappear from view as she entered the entrance hall.

Upon exiting the ball room, Lee gently closed the door behind her, causing the volume of the music within to be significantly reduced and muffled. After ensuring that she was alone, the tall redhead removed her cellphone from her pocket, opened up her "contacts" folder, and proceeded to speed dial a number.

Outside, the streets of the business district were quite devoid of life, in complete contrast to the Waterfall room's dance hall. The only sign of life appeared to be that of Lindsay Statorowski. The tall blonde remained just as Lee left her, leaning against her lavender scooter as she continued to scroll through various articles on the stock market and investment opportunities.

However, her concentration was quickly broken, for the investment article occupying the screen of her smart phone was suddenly replaced by a black screen stating the words "Incoming Call - LeeLee." Accordingly, Lindsay used her thumb to swipe the on screen prompt to the answer position, and lifted the phone to her ear.

"Hey girl," said Lindsay, "Did you patch everything up with Eddy?"

"Yep," said Lee, "Just calling to give you a heads up, I'm probably gonna be a little longer than expected. Do you mind waiting?"

"It depends," said Lindsay in a playful manner, "If it's a makeup make out session, the taxi service doesn't account for any lost time spent in the below freezing wind chills."

Lindsay giggled slightly.

"Whatever," said Lee, "Do me a favor, run across the street to the coffee house and treat yourself to a latte. Pick me one up too, and I'll reimburse ya the cost on yours, sound fair!"

Lee paused for a few seconds, as she cupped her hand to the phone speaker.

"It's really sweet," said Lee, "He surprised me with a dress, I'll tell ya all about it later."

"You bet," said Lindsay, "Have fun, I'll meet you at the Buddy in about twenty."

"Roger that," said Lee, "See ya then."

Lee ended the phone call, placing the cell phone into her coat pocket as she made her way towards the coat rack. She proceeded to removed the long black dress bag from the rack, and began her trek down the hallway to the ladies room.

Once inside, Lee locked the bathroom door, and placed the hook protruding from the dress bag over the top of the panel acting as the wall to the last toilet stall. She then placed her hand on the zipper, and proceeded to unzip the bag, slowly revealing the contents contained within.

As the emerald green fabric of the dress came into view, Lee's eyes widened with complete surprise. Mounted on the interior hanger was the dress she had spent hours meticulously sewing in preparation for tonight's ball. The notion that it was a copy was quickly dismissed; upon inspection of the tag, Lee discovered her signature ( a tradition among Green Clover seamstresses upon completion of the their dresses) just where she had left it.

Lee spent a few moments gazing upon her creation with a smile, at which point she slowly turned toward the mirror. She then uttered a few words to herself with a smile.

"Edith you're a pip," said Lee as she began the process of unbuttoning her coat in preparation for changing into her ball gown.


	79. Chapter 79

**Chapter 79**

As Lee began the process of donning the dress she had meticulously crafted for the majority of the season, the remaining members of the cul-de-sac returned to their amiable conversations. As requested, Marie and May held off from following Lee to the ladies room, in an effort to provide her time to change into her dress; however, this did not stop them from excitedly discussing how they were "gonna make their sister pretty".

A few feet away, Double Dee and Ed remained in their place, both displaying smiles due their friends success at reconciling with his girlfriend. During Ed's accidental, yet successful dance routine, his tie had managed to loosen, the knot hanging a few inches below the collar of his undershirt. Naturally, the good natured and obsessive compulsive Double Dee was there to help, adjusting Ed's tie back to pristine condition.

As the remainder of the kids went about their business, Eddy remained in his position, staring at the entry door as if her were deep in thought. The small boy was was smiling from ear to ear, ecstatic that his plan to surprise Lee with her ball gown had come to fruition, and excited at the fact that he would be given the opportunity to see her in her dress. However, due to Lee's delay in arriving at the dance, Eddy's plan to present the Lee prior to the crowing of the ball queen had failed, and thus he had missed out on the opportunity to share a dance with her; per tradition, an hour after the ceremony the newly crowned young lady is provided the opportunity to make their way to the dance floor, and share a formal slow dance with a gentleman of her choosing.

It was at that moment that an idea suddenly sprung into Eddy's head. The realization that the traditional dance shared between the ball queen and the gentleman of her choice was set to occur at the top of the hour (five minutes from now), and the fact that Lindsay was nowhere to be found seemed to ignite a proverbial lightbulb above the boys head.

As Eddy pondered his thoughts, Marie and May decided that it was time to make their way to the restroom. The girls began their walk towards the door, conversing at what seemed like a mile a minute as they bounced happily in their high-heeled shoes. Taking notice of the girls movement, Eddy suddenly broke away from his thoughts.

"Hey Marie, May!" yelled Eddy, his voice easily overpowering the loud music.

The two girls immediately ceased moving, planting their feet on the ground while turning around towards Eddy with what seemed like perfect synchronization.

"Yes Eddy," said both girls simultaneously.

"I got another little surprise for Lee in mind," said Eddy as he walked towards the two girls, "And I'm gonna need your guys help to make it happen."

Eddy signaled the girls to lean their ears down towards his mouth; as they did so, he cupped his hand around his mouth, attempting to channel his whisper into their pinna over the cacophonous dance music. As Eddy divulged his secret plan, both girls faces transformed into radiant smiles, nodding in agreement as they did so.

Eventually, the three teenagers parted ways with a shared thumbs up. As Marie and May took their exit, Eddy slowly but surely made his way across the room in the direction of the stage, his destination being the DJ booth. As he continued his trek through the crowds, Ed and Double Dee (who had completed his task of restoring Ed's tie to it's original, pristine condition) observed their stout friend with confused stares.

"Interesting," said Double Dee, "It's seems as though Eddy has a few more ideas up his sleeve."

"Eddy's the man!" said Ed in an exuberant manner, replying to his intelligent friends statement.

The boys watched as Eddy climbed the stairs onto the stage, and approached the DJ booth. The DJ, upon sensing the boys presence, removed his head phones, turning his head towards the boy. Eddy spent the next two minutes appearing to propose a proposition in a sincere tone, to which the DJ responded in a rather negative manner . The DJ's attitude soon changed completely, as Eddy removed a fifty dollar bill from his pocket ( taken from the same source that was originally meant to pay for Lee's dress) and held it out to the DJ with a sly grin. The DJ accepted the money, quickly hiding it in his pocket as he delivered an affirmative nod in Eddy's direction. The two individuals shook hands, at which point Eddy vacated the stage, made his way back towards his two best friends, and took his place next to Double Dee.

"Eddy," said Double Dee, "If I may ask, did you just bribe the Disc Jokey?"

"Yep," said Eddy, "Don't worry, it's for a good cause."

Double Dee sighed.

"I suppose," said Double Dee, "After all, there are some circumstances where it is necessary to bend the rules for the greater good."

"Geez Sockhead," said Eddy as he playfully punched his friend, "We've been friends for ten years and all of my words of wisdom are finally sinking in."

The two teenagers shared a giggle regarding Eddy's joke, at which point Double Dee decided to continue.

"So if I dare ask," said Double Dee, "What is it you have planned that's so important as to allow you to give up one of your coveted fifty dollar bills?"

"Be patient," said Eddy, "You'll find out in about five minutes."

Double Dee nodded, at which point he turned his attention back towards the dance floor.

Outside in the antechamber, May had completed her task of assisting Lee in the women's restroom, and had taken up a position near the door leading into the hallway; leaving Marie the duty of finishing Lee's makeup. The blonde girl spent a few moments absentmindedly observing her surroundings, at which point the sound of the restroom door unlatching filled the air, causing the brace faced girl to turn her attention towards the end of the hallway .As Marie exited the small room, the sound of Lee's voice filled the air from within.

"Alright, youse two are acting weirder than usual," said Lee, "What are ya's hiding from me!"

"Nothin'" said Marie in a long, drawn out manner with childish inflections as she glanced down the hallway towards May, provided her sister a thumbs up signal.

"Whatever," said Lee, still out of sight within the restroom, "Eddy's lucky I lov...care about him so much, I hate looking like one of these fancy China dolls."

"Cut the bullshit Lee," said Marie, "Eddy just wants to make you happy! Besides, ya look amazing, and you can't deny you love it."

"Whatever," said Lee, "Let's just get this over with."

As Lee began making her way out of the restroom, May slowly opened the door leading into the hall. She located Eddy, still standing next to his two best friends. She slowly lifted her hand into the air, passing on the thumbs up signal provided to her earlier by Marie.

Eddy, who had been staring at the door awaiting May's signal, accepted receipt by nodding, after which he turned his attention to the stage. As he made eye contact with the DJ, he passed on the "signal" for the final time, raising his hand high into the air while extending his thumb.

At that point, the DJ proceeded to lower the volume of the music, while simultaneously bringing the microphone to his lips.

 _Alright ladies and gentlemen, are we all having fun or what!?_

The entire dance floor erupted in cheers, providing a positive response to the DJ's question.

 _Very glad to hear! At this time, I'd like to make a little special announcement concerning the annual tradition of the mid-ball dance between the winter ball queen and a gentleman of her choice. I have to admit, I've been DJ'ing for the lovely folks of Peach a Creek High for seven years, and I have never seen a night as crazy as this regarding the winter ball queen contest. As it turns out, the young lady who has been crowned the winter ball queen has had to leave the dance, due to personal issues._

 _Under ordinary circumstances, this would require cancellation of the event. However, after being notified a few minutes prior that our runner up has finally arrived, and after some persuasion from our lovely ladies very dedicated boyfriend, the event coordinator has decided to make an exception to the rule..._

Outside in the anteroom, Marie had rushed down the hallway in an effort to take her position prior to Lee's arrival; a task that was quite easy due to Lee not being used to wearing dress high heels. Marie shared a grin with May as each girl took a standing position on each side of the double doors, awaiting the arrival of their sister.

Eventually Lee turned the corner, coming face to face with her siblings, who simply stared at her with conniving smiles. Lee proceeded to roll her eyes, after which she began walking towards them in a rather brisk manner.

"Jesus Christ," said Lee as she walked across the tile floor, her heels clicking with every step, "Leave it to you two morons to make a big deal out of this!"

As Lee approached the doors, she reached her hand out in an attempt to signal her sisters to vacate her path.

"Outta my way morons!" yelled Lee.

"As you wish!" said both girls simultaneously, at which point each girl grabbed hold of their doors ornate golden handle. The girls proceeded to place both doors in the fully open position, holding the leaves in place while signaling their sister to enter before them. Lee wasted no time, delivering her sisters a sarcastic eye flare as she made her way past them.

In an instant, Lee's sardonic expression turned into one of complete surprise, for as soon she breached the threshold, a series of unforeseen events proceeded to take place. Wasting no time, the loud exuberant voice of the DJ filled the hall:

 _Ladies and Gentlemen, now entering the room, please welcome our first ever honorary winter ball queen ANNALEE KANKER!_

Lee was suddenly blinded as a bright spotlight emanating from the stage illuminated her in it's cream colored glow. It only took a second for her eyes to adjust, at which point she was greeted by the smiling faces of the entire student body of Peach Creek High School; all staring in her direction while delivering thunderous applause and delivering whistles.

While Lee was quite bewildered by the sudden, unexpected spectacle, many of the students were quite shocked as well. Standing underneath the spotlight, in a brand new ball gown, was a girl who was borderline unrecognizable to her peers. Marie and May had meticulously restyled her usually heavy volumes red curls into loose waves, hanging over her shoulders in shiny, smooth tresses. She had removed her glasses, allowing her ice blue eyes to be completely exposed; both of which sparkled as if they were sapphires, accentuated by Marie's perfect application of her black eye-liner.

Although the young ladies face currently adopted a bewildered expression, it did not change the fact that she appeared quite radiant. Her pale skin shined underneath the lights, highlighting her natural beauty, enhanced further by her makeup. Marie had offered to apply enough to cover up her freckles, but Lee refused; her Irish roots were a source of pride for the ginger girl, and she had no desire to hide them for the sake of beauty. Not that it mattered in the slightest, as the small brown dots did nothing but enhance her appearance, providing a cute sun-kissed contrast to her almost pure white skin.

Most importantly, covering Lee's body was the coveted ball gown she had meticulously crafted. It' s thin silver straps passed over her freckled shoulders, connecting to the front and back of the emerald green, satin fabric. The dress was quite form fitting, accenting Lee's naturally curvaceous figure, while still maintaining a conservative demeanor. A silver patch adorned the area of her bust, below which were several folds of emerald green, hanging to the floor as if it was an elaborate tapestry. The green fabric was adorned with several small diamonds, shining brightly under the spotlights. Just as with May's dress, Lee's contained an elaborate and extensive tail, consisting of folds of the same emerald green fabric constituting the remainder of the dress. Finally, Lee had donned a pair of silver closed high-heeled shoes, borrowed from May specifically for the next ten minutes.

Around the ball, almost every male student with the exception of Double Dee and Ed, (both being respectable gentlemen) stood with their eyes wide open. This group happened to include Kevin, who's jaw seemed to drop to the floor in a cartoonish fashion as he stood next to his girlfriend Nazz; a prospect which Nazz responded to by angrily slamming it shut as if it were the lid of mailbox.

Although his reaction to Lee's appearance was quite different, there was no doubt that one particular individual was enamored most of all. Eddy McGee stood front and center, slightly away from the crowds. A second spotlight suddenly illuminated the boy, bringing Lee's complete attention to her diminutive boyfriend. The small boy stood with his hand crossed over his abdomen, clasping his right hand to his left wrist as he smiled in the direction of his girlfriend. Enamored by his girlfriends beauty, the boy felt as though he was in a dream; it was as if time in the remainder of the hall had come to a complete stop. His face donned a heartfelt smile, turning slightly red due to the intense emotional rush as his eyes began to appear glassy.

While Lee was not one for surprises, or one for accepting time in the limelight, all of those thoughts seemed to vacate her mind as she laid eyes on Eddy. In an instant, she too adopted a heartfelt smile, and began to blush as she returned Eddy's emotional expression; becoming lost in the same euphoria as her stout boyfriend.

At that moment, Eddy slowly began making his way towards Lee; at the same time, the DJ retrieved a piece of stationary (handed to him earlier that night along with the fifty dollar bill) and began reading it's contents:

 _As well all know, the crown of the winter ball queen is reserved for those who most exemplify the true spirit of the holiday season, and Mr. Eddy McGee was kind enough to provide us some background on the special young lady he is proud to call his girlfriend. You may all recognize Annalee Kanker as the girl who captured the hearts of the student body as the Sugarplum Fairy at the holiday talent show, but her fantastic dance skills are second only to her huge heart. Throughout her life, this young lady has always put the well being of others before herself, whether it was helping her sisters get dressed for school as children, or helping her clumsy boyfriend prepare for a math test. She is a brilliant mathematician, and inspires to share her skills and inspire other by pursuing a career as a teacher...sorry Lee, I know I was supposed to tell anyone, but I had to make the case to the student body in order to make this happen..._

Lee rolled her eyes playfully as she continued to display a smile at the conclusion of the DJ's joke, written by Eddy specifically for the situation. The remainder of the student body let out a slight giggle as well, as Eddy continued walking toward Lee.

 _According to Eddy, Annalee is the most courteous, kind, and respectful human being in existence, and is always willing to stand up for what she believes in. Most importantly, Annalee is never afraid to be herself, a noble trait within itself. When there is someone in trouble, Annalee is there to help, and when Eddy gets the urge to act a fool, she's most definitely there to knock some sense into him...literally._

As Eddy came within speaking distance to Lee, he stared up into his girlfriends beautiful eyes as the DJ completed his speech.

 _For these reasons, Mr. McGee has managed to convince us that Annalee truly exemplifies the spirit of the holiday season, displaying traits of compassion, kindness, and integrity. With that, the event committee is pleased to recognize Ms. Annalee Kanker as the honorary 20XX (unfortunate feedback through the microphone obscured the remainder of the year) Peach Creek High School Winter Ball Queen, and invites her and Eddy to share a special dance to an old holiday classic._

At the conclusion of the speech, the entire ball erupted in applause. From the entry doors, Marie and May stood with smiles, a slight tear trickling out of Mays eye, as they both delivered applause in honor of their sister. Back on the dance floor, both Double Dee and Ed, moved to emotional smiles themselves, provided their support via applause as well.

Amidst the applause, Lee and Eddy remained still, focused on entirely on each other's smiling face. Eventually Eddy decided to awkwardly begin a conversation.

"So," said Eddy, "How does it feel to be winter ball queen?"

Lee leaned down into Eddy's face with a grin.

"I'm going to kill you, and those two knuckleheads for putting me on the spot like this," said Lee.

"I know," said Eddy, "But before you do...may I have this dance?"

Eddy flared his elbow out towards Lee, providing an anchor point for her to grab his arm. Lee paused momentarily, after which she placed her hand on Eddy's elbow.

"Well, do I have a really choice?" asked Lee, "I mean, you went through all this trouble, didn't ya?"

Eddy giggled slightly, recognizing Lee's unique sense of humor and her own little sarcastic way of acknowledging and appreciating his display.

"Just smile and move Babe," said Eddy as he began escorting Lee to the middle of the dance floor.

As the couple made their way to the center of the dance floor, the hoards of students scattered throughout began to vacate the central area, forming a circle around the guests of honor. At that point, the DJ activated his turntable, initiating a popular holiday slow dance tune; as Eddy and Lee took a position facing each other.

Eddy slowly placed his right hand on Lee's hip, as he took her right in his, proceeding to raise it out to the side as typical during a formal dance. Lee responded by placing her opposite hand on Eddy's shoulder, after which they began swaying back and forth to the sound of the music, rotating around the dance floor; focused on each others gaze as if they were a tidally locked planetary system.

As the couple shared their beautiful dance, Marie and May made their way back towards their boyfriends, standing next to their significant others as they watched the display. Ed placed his arm around May, as he watched his friend enjoy himself with a dopey smile as May scrunched her lips while clasping her hands out of excitement.

Marie grabbed Double Dees hand in a laced finger hold as she leaned her head on his shoulder; after a few moments, she decided to comment on the situation.

"Man, Eddy sure knows how to turn on the charm when he sets his mind to it," said Marie.

"Absolutely," said Double Dee, "As I've stated before, Eddy is quite capable of amazing displays when properly motivated."

"You don't know how happy this makes me," said Marie, "It's not often that Lee is praised or placed in the spotlight for all she does, and seeing Eddy make it happen seems like poetic justice."

Marie paused, after which she decided to interject an additional thought.

"I can't quite put my finger on it," said Marie, "But Lee looks different somehow."

"Forgive me for pointing out the obvious," said Double Dee, "But I believe that the exquisite job you and your sisters did with her cosmetology that is the source of your observation."

"No, it's not something physical," said Marie, "It's that little twinkle in her eye, something I haven't seen from her in years. It's like she's let go of any unhappiness she has, and is just living in the moment, allowing her love for Eddy to shine. I'm not sure if it's Eddy's romantic display, or something else, but whatever it is...I'm glad to finally see it again."

Double Dee smiled as the couple turned their attention back to the dance floor, observing the remainder of the dance.

As the song came to a close, Eddy pulled Lee closer to him, simultaneously wrapping his arms around her in a hug. As he did so, he rose to the tips of his toes, bringing his mouth within inches of Lee's ear.

"Thanks for being you Lee, you're the best thing that every happened to me," said Eddy, "By the way, Merry Christmas."

"So are you Eddy," said Lee, "You're one in a million, and I'm glad to have you. Thanks for the best Christmas ever."

The couple shared a five second kiss, drawing cheers from the crowds, after which the shared another hug. Due to their height difference, Lee leaned down slightly, allowing Eddy the opportunity to place his head on her shoulder.

As Eddy rested his cheek on Lee's shoulder, staring at the far wall with wide eyes, he uttered a few words to himself under his breath.

"Well, the dress was only part of my present," said Eddy, "Hopefully the seeds I planted for the real one took...


	80. Chapter 80

**Chapter 80**

A half hour had passed since the beautiful moment shared between Eddy and Lee on the dance floor. As planned, Lee spent a few more moments chatting happily with her friends, after which she changed back into her clothes to take her leave. Eddy, with no further reason to remain at the dance (having fulfilled his ultimate goal), decided to leave as well. Prior to their departure, the couple shared one last passionate kiss, with the promise of seeing each other tomorrow night at the Kankers Christmas party.

As promised, Lee had made her way across the street the coffee house, where she and her friend spent ten minutes sipping coffee as Lee excitedly told the story of Eddy's surprise (all the while covering the costs of the lattes). After sharing their mutual excitement, the duo mounted Lindsay's trusty scooter, and proceeded to make their way back to the residential neighborhood for their long overdue sleepover.

Prior to heading the the Statorowski residence, the girls made a quick stop at the Kankers house, allowing Lee to pick up a backpack containing her pajamas, fleeting bag, make ups, tooth brush, and all other things generally taken to a sleepover. After a one minute ride, the two girls had finally arrived at the base of the driveway leading up to the large Victorian style house that acted as the Statorowski residence. With a flick of the engine cut-off switch, the loud pinging of the two stroke engine ceased, at which point the girls both de boarded the scooter. As Lee waited at the base of the driveway, Lindsay wheeled the vehicle down into the garage; the blonde girl weaved the small vehicle around Chuck's prized Cadillac car, ensuring that it was hidden from view. She then placed the kickstand in the down position, allowing the scooter to stand under it's own weight, and placed a large motorcycle cover over top of it.

Using a button on her keychain, Lindsay activated the automatic door closing mechanism, causing the garage door to slowly travel downward; and lock upon reaching the fully shut position. She placed her keys back into her pocket as she made her way back up to the driveway to meet her friend.

"Well LeeLee," said Lindsay as she spread her arms in the direction of the house, "This is it, welcome to our humble abode."

"Sweet place," said Lee as she observed the relatively large house standing in front of her, "It looks just like it came out of an old movie that took place in the nineteenth century."

"Yeah," said Lindsay as she began leading Lee up the porch steps, "My Dad is really old school, and obsessed with Victorian architecture and style. Wait until you see him, with his waxed hair and bushy handlebar mustache, you'll think we got lost in some kind of crazy time loop or something. I always tease him about it, he looks just like Franz Ferdinand, that Archduke of Austria who got assassinated and started World War II."

Lindsay paused momentarily on the second step, turning towards Lee as she adopted a confused expression.

"Or was it World War I...?" asked Lindsay.

"Beats me," said Lee, "History's is the most boring school subject to me, and it's not like Borda helps to make it any more interesting. Math is where it's at!"

"Heard that," said Lindsay, "Well, except the math part unless it has to do with finance! We can't all be Trigonometry Geeks can we?"

"Hey, I wish I had your communication and arithmetic skills," said Lee, "I swear you can convince anyone to do anything, and you can crunch numbers faster than a calculator. To be fair, I'm only good at math once you take away the numbers and start using variables. You accountants can keep that arithmetic bullshit, just stay out of the real mathematicians way!"

The two girls shared a giggle as they reached the porch deck, and proceeded to make their way towards the front door.

"Well, I think we can agree on one thing," said Lindsay, "Thank God it's winter recess."

"Roger that," said Lee as she adjusted her green head band.

At that point, Lindsay placed her hand on the golden door knob adorning the Cherry paneled front door. With a quick turn, the doorknob unlatched with an audible click as Lindsay proceeded to push the door inward, allowing it to travel to it's fully open position.

"After you," said Lindsay as she lifted her hand to her side, signaling Lee to enter before her with a smile.

Lee obliged, crossing the threshold into the homes spacious foyer as Lindsay shut the front door, sealing the warm interior from the cold winter air. Lee's eyes were immediately drawn to the high vaulted ceilings, from which hung an ornate chandelier made of Tiffany stained glass. After spending a few moments observing her surroundings, including the Victorian wallpaper and paneling, Lee decided to comment as she placed her back pack on the ground, and removed her outer coat.

"Wow," said Lee, "You ain't shittin' Liz, you got yourself a beautiful old school charm goin' on here."

"Thanks!" said Lindsay in a girlish manner as she took Lee's coat and proceeded to hang it on a wooden rack, conveniently placed near the door, "C'mon, let's go meet my Dad and simultaneously surprise him by telling him you're sleeping over!"

Lindsay grabbed Lee's hand, and began leading her towards the entrance of the parlor.

Inside the parlor, Chuck had taken a seat in his favorite armchair; as usual, he had cracked open a book from his library, titled "EM Waves and Radiating Systems", reading through the pages of electromagnetic field theory as the television (tuned to the Badger News Network), provided background noise.

"Daddy, I'm home!" said Lindsay in an exuberant manner as she entered the parlor, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor with each step.

"Hey, there's the young lady of the hour!" said Chuck as he closed his book, placing it on the coffee table, "Uh Oh, we're all smiles...something tells me someone had a great time at the dance!"

"Yep," said Lindsay, "But before you say anything else, I hope you don't mind, but I brought a friend over and promised she could sleep over. We were best friends back in the city, and used to play all the time when we were little. We lost touch, but luckily I found out that she moved Peach Creek. Naturally we decided to pick up right where we let off."

"A friend?" asked Chuck as he stood up from his chair, and took a few paces towards his daughter, quite ecstatic to hear that his daughter had made a friend.

"Yep," said Lindsay as she moved slightly to the right, allowing Lee to reposition herself in view of Chuck, "Dad, this is my best friend Annalee Kanker...Annalee, this is my dad Chuck."

At that point, Lee reached her right hand out towards Chuck, extending her hand to deliver a handshake.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Statorowski," said Lee with a smile.

To Lee's surprise, Chuck did not immediately respond to her proverbial olive branch. Instead, the mustached man remained still, paralyzed as he displayed an expression of confusion. As he observed his daughters friend, he took note of her long red curls, and her distinguished facial features; traits which he had seen many times before and were quite uncanny.

"Excuse me," said Chuck, "Did you say you were...Annalee Kanker?"

"Yes sir," said Lee, continuing to hold her hand out towards Chuck.

Without hesitation, Chuck adopted a friendly smile and took Lee's hand in his, returning her gentle handshake.

"Pleased to meet you Annalee," said Chuck, "A friend of Tiffany's is a friend of all of the Statorowski's. Do you live around here?"

"Yes sir," said Lee, "Right around the corner, in the first house from the cross street."

Chuck briefly contemplated Lee's statement prior to replying.

"Nice," said Chuck, "Well, I won't keep you girls from your little slumber party. Make yourself at home Annalee, and feel free to help yourself to anything you like."

The girls bid farewell to Chuck with smiles, and briskly made their way up the stairs to Lindsay's room. As soon as the girls took their leave, Chuck's exuberant smile turned to a neutral expression, as he slowly made his way back to his armchair. The thin man collapsed onto it's leather folds, emitting a sigh as he stared toward the opposite wall with wide eyes.

"Well this is most certainly a very perplexing night," said Chuck to himself, "The resemblance is uncanny, it's most definitely her. She was just a tiny little thing the last time I saw her, where in the world has time gone?"

Chuck reclined the chair, glancing toward the ceiling as folded his hands on his abdomen.

"One of by biggest regrets was picking up and leaving like I did," said Chuck, "But I had to do it, for her own sake, and for mine. Her intentions were great, and were most appreciated, but she had her own life to live...nevertheless, there was no doubt we were both hurt when God suddenly decided to take you to heaven."

At that moment, a slight tear began trickling down Chuck's cheek. The tough "manly man" immediately wiped the drop away, as he uttered a few more words to himself.

"It's been fourteen years too long," said Chuck, "Perhaps it's time to pay an old friend a visit."


	81. Chapter 81

**Chapter 81**

It was a crystal clear winter night in the town of Peach Creek. The large, highly decorated clock mounted on the spire of the building acting as town hall currently read 11:55 p.m.; only five minutes remained until the official arrival of Christmas Eve.

The moon, currently in it's gibbous phase, castes it's cream colored glow over the distant landscape, its light reflecting off of the gentle flowing waters of the creek. The town itself was completely devoid of any life, sans the occasional vehicle passing down the Main Street of the business district. The winter ball had ended around two hours ago, and all of the teenagers of Peach Creek had flocked back to their residences, with most already immersed in a world of dreams.

There were of course two exceptions; within the cozy confines of the Statorowski residence, Lee and Lindsay had taken up post in Lindsay's spacious, pink wallpaper-lined room. Both girls had changed into their respective sleepwear. Lindsay had removed her makeup and earrings, and had donned a frilly green knee-length nightgown. Her legs and feet were currently bare, as were her normally hidden arms; a fact that demonstrated the trust that she had for her best friend. In addition, her normally loose waves had been tied into a tight bun, leaving only her signature bangs to hang freely over her forehead. Following suit, Lee had also changed into her sleepwear, consisting of flannel pajama bottoms, and an oversized pink t-shirt. As with Lindsay, her red curls had been secured in a tight bun for sleeping.

Lindsay was currently relaxing on her bed, her back propped up against the headboards, as Lee sat on the floor atop her sleeping blanket. The girls had retrieved two bowls from the kitchen, each filling them with an ice cream flavor of their choice, and were currently enjoying their treat as they watched a classic comedy movie.

As the girls enjoyed their ice cream, Lee decided to initiate a conversation.

"Man Liz, your Dad's a stand up guy," said Lee, "Makin' us ice cream bowls at 1130 at night is a win in my book."

"Yep, he's awesome," said Lindsay, "He looks like an old school authoritarian, but he's just a big nerdy teddy bear."

Lindsay giggled.

"So he's some kind of an engineer, right?" asked Lee.

"Yep, he is a nuclear engineer," said Lindsay, "After he earned his pHd, he worked for a major defense contractor doing something crazy with radar that he can't talk about for a couple years. Then he and my Mom decided to start their company, after he patented a new cooling method for MRI machines."

Lindsay placed a helping of ice cream into her mouth, swallowing it prior to continuing.

"While they both shared ownership, my mom was the official CEO," said Lindsay, "She ran the day-to-day business operations, allowing my Dad to focus on the engineering. After my mom passed, my dad was forced to appoint a new CEO to replace her in order to maintain our livelihood. I know it was a very hard decision for him to make, but he knew he had to keep the income flowing in order to support me. A testament to my moms negotiation and business skills is the fact that my Dad has been through ten different CEOs over the the last fourteen years, all of whom quit due to the stress of day to day business."

Lindsay smiled as she placed her bowl on the night stand.

"My dad still owns the company, but in the last eight years or so he has taken a back seat," said Lindsay, "He holds all of the patents, but has turned operations over to a team of engineers and business executives, and transitioned to more of a consulting role while still maintaining his profits. For the last five years, he has been teaching full time at Lebow University in the city, where is a member of the electrical and computer engineering department. It was always his dream to be a professor, and his new career allows him more time to do his research and work on his own personal projects at home. He's developed courses in nuclear engineering for the university, and has won many distinguished teacher awards. He's a natural, and all of the students love him."

"Wow, impressive resume," said Lee, "It's no wonder you're loaded!"

"Yeah, about that," said Lindsay, "I could never deny or hide the fact that we have more money than most, but we do our best not to live beyond our necessary means. In reality, we could afford a house ten times as big as this one, but we see no reason to. We've always agreed that as long as we have food to eat, clothes to wear, and a little extra for our hobbies and leisure, we're happy just the way we are."

Lindsay paused.

"My dad grew up in poverty," said Lindsay, "My Nono died when he was six years old, leaving my Baba a single mother with seven kids. It was difficult, they never really had anything fancy. Some days canned spam and beans were the only thing available to eat for dinner, and while it wasn't the best, they never went hungry. My Baba emphasized education, and taught her children that hard work and determination can make miracles happen. Fortunately, due to my dads determination, we have been blessed with a surplus of money. Every year at Christmas we select a different charity to donate a portion of the money that we don't need to those who do. This year it's an academic merit scholarship fund, for teenagers living in poverty who demonstrate the will to persevere and demonstrate hard work in the classroom."

"Interesting," said Lee, "So that explains why you guys never lived in one of those high falutin' neighborhoods in the northeast. Living in our neighborhood was by choice."

"Yep," said Lindsay, "I'm not gonna lie, I spend more money than I should on nail polish, makeup, and shoes but...scratch that, a girl needs what a girl needs."

The two shared a laugh, at which point Lindsay's smile turned into a frown.

"It was Edyta who pushed buying the love of all the cheerleaders," said Lindsay, "That and the whole idea of being the stupid spoiled rich girl. The kids at school probably have the impression that my dad buys me whether I want, and that I run our family finances dry with my spending. In reality, the bulk of our entertainment and leisure budget is spent on Edyta, and her extremely excessive accessorizing."

At that moment, Lee having finished her ice cream, placed her spoon down into the bowl while simultaneously adopting a melancholy expression. At the same time, Lindsay turned towards the far wall, staring at it while appearing equally disheartened.

The girls remained silent for around thirty seconds, contemplating the proverbial elephant in the room, after which Lee rose up from her position on the floor and made her way towards Lindsay's bed. She proceeded to take a seat on the edge of the pink bed-sheet-lined mattress, such that her left leg was tucked underneath her right, and placed her hand on top of Lindsay's.

"Liz," said Lee, "You know that if we want to continue having fun like this, you have to find a way to stand up to her."

"I know," said Lindsay, "It's just...I'm scared."

"Don't worry," said Lee, "After what ya told me about what she did to you, I'm most definitely willing to offer my assistance in any way possible. I've dealt with her kind before, she ain't nothin' but a cowardly bully. Burning and mutilating an innocent little girl, I betcha any amount of money she wouldn't try that with someone she knew could fight back! And all that stuff you told me about what she said she'll do to your dad and Baba is all just white noise, she ain't nothin' but a big pussy."

"No LeeLee," said Lindsay as she suddenly turned towards Lee with a distressed expression, "Do NOT underestimate the scope of Edyta Babik's insanity. She is highly unstable and erratic, and I am not convinced that she would never murder a human being, especially after what I've seen her do to other living things."

"What do you mean?" asked Lee.

"I don't even like to talk about it," said Lindsay, "It makes me sick. I've seen her passive aggressively poison neighbors dogs for merely being 'filthy' in her eyes, kill puppies with her bare hands, drown kittens slowly and methodically, as if she enjoyed it...all signs that she would have no problem doing the same to a human."

A tear began to trickle down Lindsay's face as she continued.

"It's why I had to give up Chubbs," said Lindsay.

"Chubbs?" asked Lee.

"Chubbs was my cat," said Lindsay, "I've loved cats ever since I was a little girl, and when I was nine, my dad surprised me by taking me to the shelter to get a kitten. I can remember Chubbs was the only kitten who ran to the edge of the cage when he noticed me, like he was asking me to adopt him. We had a lot in common too, well as much as a human and an animal can. He is a Maine Coon, the biggest cat breed, and as such he was way bigger than all of the other kittens in the shelter, just like I was always the tallest girl in the room."

Lindsay turned towards Lee.

"The love Chubbs gave me helped me through a lot of my rough times," said Lindsay, "But after witnessing Edyta's cruelty without any remorse or hesitation, I made the hard decision to give Chubbs back to the shelter for his own protection. I made an agreement with the shelter that if I paid for his food, and visited him every Saturday, I would still technically be his owner and he would not be forced to be adopted by someone else."

Lindsay took a deep breath.

"I wish I could take him back in," said Lindsay, "But I can't..."

As Lindsay concluded her sentence, Lee's face transformed to that of determination.

"Alright I heard enough, " said Lee, "I don't want to hear anything else about Edyta Babik unless it's about the dirt ya said you had on her earlier. I promised you that we'd come up with a plan to get the crazy broad out of your life, and you agreed to go through with it. So c'mon Liz, spill it."

Lindsay paused for a few moments, after which she let out a sigh.

"She's been disappearing for hours almost every night since I've known her," said Lindsay, "Through her phone conversations, I've gathered that she dabbles heavy in a major prostitution ring somewhere in the old neighborhood. She's in control of around ten different woman, referring to them as her 'pany nocy', loosely translated to 'Ladies of the night', and refers to herself as 'szanowna pani', which means 'gentle woman', or what we would call 'madam'."

"Holy shit," said Lee, "I didn't think she could get any more scuzzy."

"Here's the kicker," said Lindsay, "Over the last few months, she apparently accrued some kind of debt to a woman she refers to as the 'dama', which sort of translates as queen in english. She owes her in excess of ten thousand dollars, and according to what I picked up last night, she's required to pay the kingpins by tommorow night or 'she will receive a Christmas present like no other'"

"Let me guess," said Lee, "She ain't got a pot to piss in, she's shitting herself that she ain't gonna be able to pay up, and she's planning on trying to use your dads money to cover it."

"Precisely," said Lindsay, "Her boss, for the lack of a better term, has been looking for her for the past few months, but the sneaky bitch has always managed to remain hidden. The part I don't like is this has the potential to be associated to our family, my dads business, and his university. God forbid they find out she lives here, they'll come in and ransack the place. Our luck, me and my Dad will be caught in the crossfire while she escapes Scots free."

"Hmm," said Lee, "Let me ask you this, how is she planning to get the money?"

"About a year ago, she somehow managed to break into our safe and get a hold of my dads bank account numbers," said Lindsay, "What she doesn't know is that I secretly help my dad balance his checkbook, do his taxes, and otherwise help him manage his finances, and have full access to his accounts. When I found out she was taking money out of the accounts, I came up with a little strategy to protect my dads assets while simultaneously allowing her to think she was getting over on him. I allowed a small percentage of the transaction to go through, and knowing the dumb bitch doesn't know any better, routed the remainder right back into my dads account. The small amount lost to keep her at bay, and to make her think she is accomplishing something, was worth the price of avoiding her unpredictability...and the burns..."

Lindsay shuddered slightly, pausing to catch her breath prior to continuing.

"She thinks she is so slick," said Lindsay, "Nobody is making a fool out of my family, and she has no idea she's messing with the best when it comes to money."

"Go ahead Lizzy," said Lee with a smile, "You're quite the passive aggressive bitch, ain't ya?"

"Hey when it comes to my family and my money," said Lindsay, "Ain't nobody messin' with me playa!"

The girls shared a playful laugh, after which the conversation reverted back to a serious tone.

"So let's see..." said Lee, "There's basically a price on this broad's head, but they ain't ever able to get to her because she's a regular old Houdini...sound about right?"

"In LeeLee terms, that sounds about right." said Lindsay with a smile.

Lee pondered her thoughts for a few seconds, after which she turned towards Lindsay with a sly grin.

"Then the answer is simple," said Lee, "We'll just bring her to justice ourselves!"

"No offense LeeLee," said Lindsay, "But that's easier said than done. Getting the police involved would be the obvious option, but Edyta is a master manipulator, and she is very good at covering her tracks. Plus I...

"No cops," said Lee, "Edyta Babik doesn't realize that Lindsay Statorowski's best friend is a pretty good manipulator herself. If we got the cops involved, the media would be up our ass as well, and they are always looking to hit big corporations like your dads just for being successful. I've got a better plan that will make her disappear, while simultaneously protecting your assets, your integrity, and your dads career."

"Alright," said Lindsay "So what do you have in mind?"

"Well first and foremost," said Lee, " You're going to log in to the bank tonight, and freeze the accounts."

"What!?" said Lindsay, "If we do that she'll definitely notice and know it was me!"

"Exactly," said Lee, "Bear with me, it will make sense once I explain the whole thing."

"Okay..." said Lindsay in a rather insecure manner, while glancing toward the wall as if she were deep in thought.

Lee took notice of Lindsay's doubts, moving toward her friend as she took her right hand in both of hers.

"Liz, this has to be done if you ever want to be free," said Lee, "It's not going to be easy, and you are going to have to be brave, but once it's over you will be free forever. You won't ever have to lie to your dad or worry about him being hurt, and you will be able to spend time with him without fear of being criticized and punished for doing so. You can take Chubbs back without worrying about his well being, we can hang out any time we want, and best of all you will not ever have to be afraid to be the real you ever again. You are one of the toughest, strongest women in the county, and I know deep down inside you don't want anybody controlling your life or dictating how you do it."

Lee paused briefly, as she turned Lindsay cheek toward her with her hand in an effort to make eye contact.

"We are a team," said Lee, "We always have, and always will be. No matter what happens, there is no way I'm standing by and allowing someone to take advantage of my bestie. We'll take this monster down together, we will fight...and we will win."

Lee held her right hand up in the air, extending the pinky out towards Lindsay.

"I promise," said Lee.

Lindsay paused for a few moments, at which point she finally mustered up a smile as she lifted her hand; interlocking her pinky with Lee's

"Accepted," said Lindsay.

"Okay," said Lee, "Next question. Do you have any intel on the identity of these queens or whatever you want to call them?...names, phone numbers?"

"All available in my lockbox at the turn of a key!" said Lindsay as she lifted her key chain in the air, spinning the ring on her finger as she did do.

"Can these people speak English?" asked Lee.

"Minimally," said Lindsay, "But they can understand it."

"Beautiful," said Lee, "The stage is set...now for the last question."

"Shoot," said Lindsay.

"Ya got any more mint chocolate chip?" asked Lee as rose from Lindsay's bed, and began making her way towards the door, giggling slightly as she did so.

"Leave it to LeeLee to be just as goofy as always," said Lindsay, "How in the world does ice cream pop into your mind while your planning the takedown of an insane human trafficker?"

"Hey, it ain't good to think on an empty stomach!" said Lee as she opened the door.

"Heard that," said Lindsay, " There's a whole tub in the fridge, get me some vanilla while you're at it."

"Roger that," said Lee, "Get that information ready while I'm gone...I got some calls to make."


	82. Chapter 82

**Chapter 82**

Five hours had passed since daylight had broken over the small community of Peach Creek, ushering in the dawn of a new day. It was 11:30 a.m. and Christmas Eve, the night of legend in which Santa Claus is said to travel around the world, delivering presents, peace and good will, had finally arrived. Naturally, the excitement for the big day had reached it's proverbial peak; hordes of people flocked to the towns business district, taking their children to the department store for one last visit to Saint Nick, with many simultaneously searching for that last minute deal.

On the outskirts of the community, the Peach Creek mall was quite busy as well. In preparation for her families upcoming Christmas party, set to take place tonight, May had made her way to the mall to procure some last minute snacks, as well as heaters for the buffet table to be set up in the dining room. The ponytailed Kanker girl was not alone however, for she was accompanied by her ever-supportive yet somewhat clumsy boyfriend Ed, who's mother had offered to drive the group to the mall.

To their great pleasure, the duo was accompanied by their good natured friend Double Dee, who had decided to provide assistance in selecting healthy snacks, as well as carrying the goods out to the car. The trio had just exited the malls candy and snack store; Ed and May walked holding hands, as Ed cradled a paper bag in his opposite hand. Double Dee walked slightly behind the couple, carrying two additional bags full of food goods, while admiring his surroundings with a smile.

After around thirty seconds of walking, the group found themselves at the malls food court, where they decided to stop for a quick lunch. Ed and May had purchased a few hotdogs, and a couple of fountain sodas from the grill, while Double Dee opted for a modest-sized grilled chicken salad and a cup of water.

The three teenagers obtained their meals, after which they carried their trays to an empty table. As the group took their place, May decided to initiate a conversation.

"Thanks again for helping us shop for snacks Double Dee!" said May.

"Yeah," said Ed as he took a bite of his hotdog, "You're a pal."

"You are quite welcome," said Double Dee, "As you know, I am always willing to provide assistance to my friends. While I do miss Marie's unique sense of humor, I am glad that she has offered her help in baking the van Bartonschmeers famous Santa-shaped sugar cookies. I'm sure Nazz and Julia are quite excited about sharing their creations with all of our friends."

"Sugar Cookies!" yelled Ed and May simultaneously as they glanced toward each other, "YUM YUM YUM!"

Double Dee giggled slightly at his friends antics.

"I must admit," said Double Dee, "After all of the controversy and horrendous fighting that has occurred over the last few weeks, I did have my doubts that the spirit of this holiday season would be able to be preserved. However, seeing Eddy and Lee's beautiful relationship shine last night at the dance, as well as the enthusiasm emanating from the two of you have convinced me otherwise. I absolutely cannot wait to share the joy of the season with my family and closest friends at tonight's celebration."

At that point Double Dee's face turned to an expression of concern as he rose from his chair.

"Oh dear," said Double Dee as he searched one of the paper bags, "I believe we've forgotten the peppermint candy canes! No Christmas celebration is complete without candy canes."

"No problem," said May, "I'll go back and get em'!"

"Nonsense," said Double Dee as he rose out of his chair, "You and Ed finish up your hotdogs while I retrieve the missed goods, we wouldn't want your meals to become cold would we?"

"Thanks Double Dee," said Ed and May as Double Dee turned away from the couple with a smile. The intelligent adolescent lifted his fists to his chest, flared his elbows outward and began jogging briskly in the direction of the candy store, eventually disappearing from view.

As their sock headed friend disappeared around the corner, the somewhat goofy couple resumed enjoying their hotdogs. For around thirty seconds, neither boy nor girl said a word, each taking huge bites out if their hotdogs while staring in the direction of the far wall.

While it was clear that the two carefree teenagers were having the time of their lives, and more than happy to be sharing the holiday season together, there was no doubt that something seemed to be troubling he minds of both boy and girl. In lieu of smiles, both displayed expressions of doubt and uncertainty.

After a few seconds, May finished her second hotdog, took a swallow, and decided to awkwardly break the silence.

"These hot dogs sure are good huh Ed?" asked May.

"Yeah," said Ed, "They're the best."

As Ed took another bite of his hotdog, May let out a sigh.

"Um Ed," said May, as she stroked her right ponytail, "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure," said Ed.

"Well," said May in a rather awkward manner, "You know how tomorrow is Christmas, right?"

"Yeah," said Ed.

"I just wanted to tell you now that..." said May, "I wasn't able to get you anything for Christmas, and I'm sorry."

Ed swallowed his hotdog, after which he turned towards May with a neutral expression.

"You see," said May as she continued to stroke her ponytail, (a nervous tick of hers), "I know how much you love Slug-U-La, so I wanted to get you the new collectors edition. I got a job working at the Green Clover after school to try to save up money to get it. Please don't tell Double Dee about this, but Marie's been trying to earn money to surprise Double Dee with a hairpiece so that he can protect his brothers hat from getting destroyed and feel confident in himself at the same time. She got a job to help pay for her gift too, but the paycheck wasn't enough to cover the costs. It was such a heartfelt thought, and there was no way I would be able to see Marie upset when she found out she wouldn't be able to afford it. So I secretly gave Marie my share, and now I'm not gonna be able to buy you a Christmas present. You're the best boyfriend in the world, and you deserve an awesome gift, but I hope you can understand why I did what I did. I'm sorry..."

At the conclusion of her statement, May remained locked in her forward gaze, pondering how Ed would respond to her explanation for him not receiving a gift on their first Christmas together. Much to her surprise, Ed did not respond negatively; rather, the somewhat air headed boy giggled ever so slightly.

"It's funny" said Ed, "I've been thinking about how I was going to to tell you how I'm not gonna be able to get you a present. Double Dee really wanted to help pay for Marie's eye surgery, and I wanted to buy you a new pitching machine, so we got jobs with this guy selling trees. I got enough to pay for your gift, but Double Dee didn't have enough for Marie's gift, so I secretly gave him all of my money to help. Double Dee is a friend to all, and such a nice guy. He loves Christmas so much, and I would hate to see him sad knowing his special Marie wouldn't get what she truly wanted. After all, Marie and Double Dee getting together kind of got us together, and that makes them special!"

Ed giggled dopily at the conclusion of his statement, after which he turned back towards May. The two teenagers exchanged somber expressions, as May glanced back down towards the table as she twirled her thumbs.

"Well thankfully our friends are going to have a great Christmas," said May, "But I wasn't able to make yours a special one."

Ed stared at his girlfriend for a few seconds, his bottom lip puckered down as if he were upset. Slowly but surely, the eccentric boy lifted his hand, touched it to May's chin, and slowly guided her face towards his.

"Do not worry my Little May," said Ed, "This Christmas season was the best one I've had yet! I got to see Santa at the mall, work at a tree farm, and see Eddy dance ballet in tights! Think about how much fun we had painting the scenery for Lee, and eating snacks while we watched all the cool movies. I did it all with my Little May, and that is what makes Ed happy."

Ed's somewhat uncharacteristic motivational speech managed to draw a smile from the youngest Kanker girl, who decided to reply with a statement of her own.

"You're right," said May, "Not only were we able to help our friends, but we did it all together. Being your girlfriend was the best thing that ever happened to me this year, and I'm sooo glad we get to spend our Christmas together...it's the best gift ever, better than anything money can buy. You're the best!"

Before Ed could reply, May suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Ed in a bear hug while nearly knocking him off of his chair. At the same time, she gently touched her lips to his, initiating a passionate kiss that Ed did not hesitate to return.

As the two teenagers locked lips, a slight shadow began to overtake the duo, as if another individual was approaching the table.

"My oh my," said Double Dee who had finally returned from the candy store, "It seems that my insistence on retrieving the missing candy canes opened the proverbial door for a private amorous exchange."

Double Dee giggled as the two innocent goofballs quickly separated. Both teenagers are awkwardly blushing as Ed took a sip of his soda, and May shoved the remainder of her second hotdog into her mouth. Double Dee simply giggled as he placed the box of candy canes into one of the paper bags, and took his seat at the table to join his friends for lunch.

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Peach Creek Mall, the Rethink Avenue cul-de-sac was quite calm. Many of the driveways were vacant, the families having utilized their cars to make trips to the houses of their extended family, or to make final preparations for tonight's party. The weather seemed to be cooperating thus far; the sky was completely overcast with a blanket of gray clouds, and the air carried a heavy chill, indicative that snow may be on it's way in the near future.

In particular, the modest sized split level house acting as the Kankers residence was especially quiet. Rod had left early in the morning to assist his mother in preparing food for the party, and to pick up the Santa Claus costume he would be donning for the children later that night. That, coupled with the fact that all three of the Kanker girls were preoccupied with plans of their own, left Tabby alone to prepare the house for their party.

The relatively heavy set red-headed woman had spent all morning cleaning the house, while simultaneously baking several trays of her famous chocolate chip, snicker doodle, and oatmeal cookies. The dining room table had been moved from its usual place in the center of the room to a position against the wall; its wood surface had been covered with a red cloth, on top of which sat several trays of buffet food, paper plates, and plastic forks.

The Kankers Christmas tree, adorned with several ornaments old and new, sat in the corner near the wall acting as the interface between the living room and dining room. Next to the eight foot tall tree was a long wooden table, custom built by Rod in anticipation of the season, over which an ornate green cloth was placed. On top of the table were several feet of model train tracks, on which several models of Santa Fe railway locomotives pulled box cars decorated with the likeness of Santa Claus. Interspersed within the tracks were several houses, made of cigar boxes from the 1970's; houses carefully crafted by Tabby's father for the scenes he had displayed in their apartment when she was a little girl. Over top of the table was a large banner reading " Merry Christmas!", one of several banners and decorations hanging around the house.

The house was eerily quiet; the television had remained off for the entirety of the day and the low level of activity seemed to exacerbate the silence. Tabby herself was currently in the master bedroom, she had completed all of her tasks and had decided to shower prior to getting dressed for the day. She had slipped into a pair of dark blue jeans, and had picked out a green "Ugly Sweater" as part of her party attire. After donning a pair of black high heeled winter boots (purchased due to admiration of her eldest daughters boots) she turned her attention to her hair, which was easily styled into loose hanging red curls.

While she had been partially dressed for a half hour, Tabby had not yet left the bedroom; while her daughters enjoyed themselves at the dance, she had received an interesting phone call from an old friend she knew as a child from the city. She had not spoken to this particular individual for around fourteen years, and while hearing their voice felt quite welcome, it also seemed to bring disheartening memories to the freckle faced woman.

She had remained standing in front of her vanity mirror for fifteen minutes, seemingly paralyzed by her thoughts. The sweater she had chosen remained on her bed, waiting to be placed on her body, leaving a black bra as the only article of clothing on her upper body.

A few seconds passed, at which point Tabby began turning from side to side, examining her upper arms; areas of her body which had been covered by two large tattoos several years ago. She gradually lifted her right hand upwards, touching her red nailed fingertips to the pink ballet shoes adorning the freckled skin of her left arm, her eyes tearing up as she did so.

"Well, I always hated tattoos on women, and promised myself I'd never get any," said Tabby, "But a couple of cover-ups detailing my life's loves are better than the scars due to the infection from those dirty needles she used...plus they look way nicer than words like "loser" and "shit head",...she always did have a nice vocabulary."

At that moment, a tear began dripping down Tabby's cheeks as she gazed toward the ceiling.

"Please God," said Tabby, "Please don't let her be hurting that beautiful little girl. For her sake, and his. He's too hurt to deal with anything happening to his little girl, and I don't know how he'll react if I told him that that could be happening."

Tabby paused, and swallowed prior to continuing.

"I know you're up there watching down on us too," said Tabby, "You're probably sick to your stomach, powerless to protect her, but I know you understand why I'm just as powerless. Don't you worry, I'm trusting in my faith...our girls are back together, my little saving grace never gave up on trying to help her and never will...just like you never did for me."

At that moment, the sound of the doorbell ringing filled the air, a soothing version of Westminster Chimes in the key of b flat. This sound broke Tabby away from her thoughts, at which point she dried her tears and slid her green Christmas sweater over her head. Lastly, she retrieved a moderately sized shoe box from the surface of her bed, a box that had remained buried within the closet until today, and made her way to the stairs while carrying it under her arm.


	83. Chapter 83

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello everyone!_

 _A lot has happened over the last few weeks. I finally got the proper tools, and officially began my YouTube "Let's Play" Career. I also released a whole bunch of new art on deviantart related to the story._

 _It looks like we are finally taking Miracles and Mistletoes into the home stretch, and what fun it has been for me! Almost a year of immersing myself back into the Ed, Edd n' Eddy universe, and I can't thank the fans enough for inspiring me to keep at it._

 _Before we begin, I must mention two things...some dialogue in the previous chapter seemed to imply that Tabby was drugged. I have received plenty of reviewed and PMs regarding this, asking for clarification, and I apologize for not making it clear. I often prefer to keep dark things ambiguous, but in this case it requires more detail. She was tattooed against her will, using sewing needles and pen ink...that's all I will say about that. As you know by reading BGwBH, there was another character who has succumbed to drug addiction though, but it was never Tabby._

 _Two, I apologize in advance, the next three or four chapters will not have much EEnE and will be dealing with wrapping up many of my OCs back stories, and resolving the "Big Crisis". Don't worry, there will be plenty of EEnE antics to wrap up the story during the final few chapters._

 _Thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoy. Here we go!_

 **Chapter 83**

Tabby descended the series of six steps leading down to the livings area, and proceeded to make her way towards the coffee table. After placing the shoe box in the center, she briskly walked towards the front door and, after a slight hesitation, took hold of the silver handle and opened it.

As the wooden panel swung to the open position, the momentum caused a decorative wreath (hung on the outside and adorned with jingle bells) to shake, emitting a slight ping. As the door reached the end of it's travel, Tabby's eyes widened at the sight of the individual standing on the other side. Standing on the small stoop was a man of below average height, around 5'5" tall, with an above average muscular build. His dark blonde hair was neatly parted on the side using gel, and his large bushy mustache was neatly waxed as if he were a historical figure from the late 19th century. He donned his usual plaid button down shirt, neatly tucked into a pair of pressed blue jeans; on his feet were a pair of brown shoes. The man had also donned a brown hounds tooth coat over top of his plaid shirt, in an effort to keep out the bone-chilling cold.

Both man and woman stared at each other in what seemed like surprise for a few moments, at which point Tabby finally decided to and break the silence while adopting a sly grin.

"Chucky Stat," said Tabby as she shook her head from side to side playfully, "What the hell is that thing on your face?"

"Hey Tabby," said Chuck, "I see that wit of yours hasn't change a bit."

Tabby giggled

"Nope," said Tabby as she moved to the side, freeing up the entryway, "C'mon in, I got some of that instant coffee crap ya always liked brewin' for ya!"

"Thanks," said Chuck, "I'll definitely take you up on that offer."

Chuck proceeded to make his way through the door, at which point Tabby closed it behind him. After removing his coat, Chuck and Tabby made their way over to the couch. As the two adults took their place on opposite ends, Tabby lit a cigarette and took a draw while crossing her legs; Chuck simply sat with both of his feet planted on the ground, placing his wrists on his knees and nervously twirling his thumbs.

"So," said Chuck, "What fascinating things have happened to you over the last fourteen years?"

Tabby took another draw of her cigarette, blowing the exhaust on the opposite direction of Chuck prior to answering.

"Well," said Tabby, "I finally got married!"

"Really?" asked Chuck, "Who's the guy, anyone we knew from the neighborhood?"

"Nope," said Tabby, "My husband is originally from Texas, he moved here after he got out of the Marine Corps. His name is Rod Lonergan, he's a fireman in the city. We met thirteen years ago, but due to what I like to call unfortunate circumstances we didn't get married until a few months ago."

Tabby stood up and turned towards the wall behind the couch. Mounted on the wall was a large professional family portrait of Tabby, Rod and their three daughters standing together, all displaying smiles.

"This is my husband," said Tabby as she pointed to Rod. She then proceeded to slide her finger to Lee's position.

"I know you know who this is from last night," said Tabby, "She's grown up since the last time you saw her, huh?"

"You're not kidding!" said Chuck, "I had to double take when she told me her name was Annalee Kanker. I only remember her as that little happy 11-month old, not a teenager a few inches taller than me. She looks just like a taller and slimmer version of you back in high school Tabb."

"She does," said Tabby, "It's amazing. She inherited my fathers height and his personality. You know, how he always came off intelligent and compassionate, yet had that hot headed and opinionated side that would come out if someone messed with him."

"Yep," said Chuck, "In the few moments I talked with her so far I could tell. She has a lot of respect and intelligence, just like he did. Even those thick black-framed glasses, they're just like the ones her used to wear."

Tabby smiled at Chuck's observation, at which point she slid her finger to Marie's position.

"This is my second daughter," said Tabby, "Her name is Annemarie"

"Interesting," said Chuck as he giggled, "Tiff's middle name was Marie, what a coincidence! What happened to Annabelle as a name if you ever had a second daughter? With that "E", you broke your promise you had since you were a teenager to name any girls with had after Anna Pavlova!"

"Yeah," said Tabby, "Her name was going to be Annabelle, but I decided to change it in honor of my bestie. As you know, St. Anne is the patron saint of women in labor, so I decided to use it as the prefix, in honor of God taking Tiff into his loving arms earlier than expected."

The two adults stood in silence for a few moments, both displaying somber expressions.

"Anyway," said Tabby, "Personality wise she is me to the T. Stubborn as a mule, and hot headed with a quick wit. She even sounds just like me, I can't tell you how many times people thought it was me talking when she has answers the phone."

Tabby took another quick draw of her cigarette as she slid her finger over the portion of the photograph containing May.

"And believe it or not," said Tabby, "This is my third daughter, Annamae. She's Rod's biological daughter, and if you can't tell from the picture she takes after him WAY more than the Kankers appearance wise. And Chuck, I may sound crazy for saying this, but if she ain't Kate reincarnated on this earth nobody is! She's got all of her personality quirks, her ability to inhale hotdogs, drink barbecue sauce, and a carefree eccentric nature. The only difference is that she's shy, in contrast to Kate who would talk to anyone and their mother, that goofball...but Annamae's been coming out of her shell over the last few months. Even crazier is the fact that boy she's dating kind of looks like Zack, you know tall and skinny. The only difference is that while Zack was a wild daredevil, Annamae's boyfriend is kind of a male version of her."

Tabby paused prior to continuing.

"It's a shame that went down the tubes," said Tabby, "They were perfect for each other, but Zack had to do what he had to do...as much as I love Kate, I can't blame him for leaving her once she got involved with...well, you know. He did everything he could to try to save her, but she was too far gone. By that time she was completely at the mercy of Edy...addiction..."

There was another slight pause, after which Chuck decided to continue the conversation.

"Zack...," said Chuck, "It's been a few months since I've talked to him, but the last time I did he was doing very well."

"He still in the service?" asked Tabby.

"Yep, he's a Commander," said Chuck, "He's currently deployed as the commanding officer on USS Kentucky. It's pretty difficult to get in touch with someone on board of a vessel continuously operating hundreds of feet below the surface of the ocean for six months."

Chuck giggled slightly as Tabby took a draw of her cigarette.

"Well it's great to hear you two haven't lost touch completely," said Tabby, "Youse two did everything together, from fixing up your bikes when you were kids to upgrading your cars as young adults...what do they call that kind of thing, a 'bro-mance'?"

Tabby cackled heavily at her own joke as Chuck cracked a smile.

"Hey, we were best friends and treated each other like brothers," said Chuck, "Just like you and Tiff were..."

There was another pause as both adults turned away from each other, glancing towards the red carpeted floor for a few moments. As Tabby placed her cigarette into the glass ash tray, Chuck turned towards her with a smile.

"Well Tabb," said Chuck, "You certainly have yourself a beautiful home and a wonderful family!"

"Thanks," said Tabby, "And you certainly have raised a beautiful young lady! I never thought a tough little boy like you would be able to handle a little girl by yourself, but you've done an excellent job with her. She was very respectful to me, and spoke very eloquently. She's so pretty Chuck, if she needed glasses, she'd look just like Tiff. I have to admit that I was taken aback when I opened the door and had to tilt my head almost vertical to make eye contact with her. It was like looking back in time, she has her hair, body proportions, and even that slight arch she got in her back as she walked. On top of that, she even sounds just like her, just a little bit of a higher pitch and without that little rasp."

Tabby turned towards Chuck.

"I see you gave her that fur coat you bought Tiff for Christmas back in eleventh grade." said Tabby.

"Yep," said Chuck, "Tiffany was unfortunately never able to meet her, but she has a very deep admiration and love for her mother, a fact that makes me very proud. Ever since I first explained the situation to her when she was three, she's been very curious about Tiff's life. I gave her all of her pictures, her basketball trophies, all of our home movies and the videos of Tiffs interviews when she was the CEO of our company. Even though she never knew her, I still sense a lot of sadness from Little Tiffany on occasion with regards to Tiff. When we moved, she asked me to take down our wedding portrait and give it to her for storage in her room because it made her upset..."

Chuck's voice wavered slightly as he completed his statement, as if he was attempting to hold back his emotions while in front of his friend. Nevertheless, he regained his composure and turned towards Tabby with a serious expression.

"Tabb, I can't thank you enough for everything you did for us after the tragedy," said Chuck, "It was so hard for me, I didn't know what to do! My wife, my best friend, the love of my life was suddenly taken away from me, and simultaneously I was given a beautiful baby girl. I remember thinking how it could be possible that the best day in my life was also the worst. I was so depressed, I couldn't even think for the few days between the time I brought Little Tiffany home until Tiffs funeral."

Chuck paused.

"I had no idea how to take care of a baby," said Chuck, "Looking back on those few days, I believe that I was beginning to suffer from paternal postpartum depression. I cringe every time I think about those times, and how my depression made me reject little Tiffany. I can't thank you enough for understanding and helping me through those hard times, coming over every day with Annalee to council me, not to mention feed, change and sooth Little Tiffany."

"Hey," said Tabby, "We were like family, and families always help each other during hard times. Anything I could do to help you, Tiff and Tiffany was time well spent...besides, our girls got a head start on becoming besties themselves! It's hilarious, they both think they met for the first time in Kindergarten, but they used to nap together all of the time as infants!"

Chuck and Tabby shared a quick laugh, at which point Tabby read opted a serious expression.

"Chuck, I do have to ask," said Tabby, "Why did you suddenly pick up and move away without telling anybody? I mean I came to your house one day, and when I knocked on the door there was no answer. I found it odd, but I just figured that you and Little Tiffany made a run to the grocery store or something. But after I found out your cell phone and house phone were disconnected, I knew something was up. It's like you two just vanished without a trace."

Chuck sighed.

"A few days before we left, Tiffany had a fussy night with sleep," said Chuck, "Around two in the morning, she started crying so I got up and did everything I could to try to help, still afraid to pick her up. I began to reach for the phone to call you, but then I had a revelation. Tiffany was my daughter, I loved her more than anything and I had the responsibility to raise her. I decided to finally pick her up and rock her in my arms, and what happened was amazing. She gradually ceased crying, opened her little blue eyes and stared up at me. I then lifted my hand up towards her cheek and extended my index finger, at which point she grabbed my finger, squeezing it with her little hand as she stared up at me. Even though she couldn't speak, and didn't yet have the cognitive abilities to properly express herself, it was as if she was saying 'I love you Daddy, everything is going to be okay!'. I sat in the rocking chair, holding her in my arms until she went to sleep, smiling...completely at peace. From that point on, I knew my only goal in life was to love, protect, and nurture Tiffany, and be the best damn father I could be."

Chuck paused.

"I know you," said Chuck, "You have such a big heart that you would have never quit trying to help us. You had Annalee to take care of, not to mention a second baby on the way within the coming weeks, and there was no way I was going to allow you to keep spending your time helping Tiffany and I, as much as we appreciated it...I did what I had to do."

A few moments passed as both adults stared across the room in silence. Eventually, Tabby rose from the couch, dusting her jeans off as she did so.

"Well I'm glad we finally got back in touch," said Tabby, "And even happier that our girls found each other as best friends."

"Yep," said Chuck, "It's beautiful thing."

"I'll go get us some coffee," said Tabby as she began walking towards the kitchen, "I dug out all of the old pictures of us and the old gang from the neighborhood. We can take a trip down memory lane over some joe if you'd like."

"You bet," said Chuck, " Thanks Tabb!"

Tabby made her way through the dining room and out in the kitchen, as Chuck sat in silence, observing his surroundings with a smile.


	84. Chapter 84

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello everyone._

 _Just wanted to say thanks for reading once again. As before, I just wanted to say this chapter contains another flashback, and remind everyone that all things happening in the flashback are written with italics._

 _Getting to the end, let's keep at it!_

 **Chapter 84**

Ten minutes had passed since Tabby left the living room to retrieve coffee for her and her guest. In the time between, she had returned to the table with two red cups, passing one to Chuck as she took a sip of her own. As typical, a nicotine craving was induced by the caffeine, causing her to ignite another cigarette as she and her friend continued their conversation.

As Tabby reached for the shoebox containing old photographs of her and her friends, Chuck was in the process of completing a story that he rarely told; a story that was in fact quite hard for him to tell. As he completed his final sentence, Tabby decided to react.

"I'll be damned," said Tabby with surprise, "Marfan Syndrome... I did always wonder how she became so tall. I mean, Jill is a tiny little thing, and John is just a few inches taller than you, so it was odd seeing such a huge difference in height between parents and child. I figured it was one of those weird generation skip things, but looking back it all makes sense. At least now you know that Little Tiffany shares the condition, and you can have her properly monitored."

Tabby paused.

"It's such a damn shame..." said Tabby, "If only...we..."

Tabby's bottom lip began to quiver, at which point she swallowed, regaining control of her emotions. Simultaneously, Chuck turned away from his friend, facing the window as his eyes began to glaze over.

At that point, Tabby leaned slightly forward, flicking her spent cigarette ash into the tray as she took hold of the picture box.

"So," said Tabby with a smile, attempting to lift Chuck's emotions, "Ya wanna take a look at what I have in this box? I mean, I didn't spend all night digging them out after ya called and said you wanted meet up for nothing, did I?"

Tabby cackled as she punched Chuck in the arm; the small man rubbed his bicep with his left hand as he smiled in Tabby's direction.

"Well you have the box!" said Chuck, "Just open it already!"

Tabby nodded as she placed her hands on the box. Her long red fingernails curved around the lid, grasping the edges as she slowly removed it, exposing what seemed like hundreds of instant Polaroids from the nineties.

Tabby smiled as she removed one of the photos, gazing upon its contents for a few moments before handing it to Chuck.

"Recognize any of these troublemakers?" asked Tabby.

Chuck took hold of the photograph with both of his hands, and proceeded to examine its contents. The photograph depicted four youngsters, around the age of nine, standing in front of an elaborate concrete stoop acting as the entrance to a three story row house. Standing on the left was a young version of Tabby; a portly girl whose red curls dangled past her shoulders in an unruly fashion. She smiled heavily, her missing maxillary incisor (lost baby tooth) being quite prominent.

Next to her stood a boy that appeared remarkably similar to Ed, albiet with a spiky "biff" haircut, rather than a buzzcut. This boy was wearing a dirt stained white t shirt, as well as a pair of ripped blue jeans. In his right hand, a red skateboard was clutched by it's trucks, the bottom resting on the ground next to his blue "Converse Chuck Taylor" shoes. Next this boy stood a younger version of Chuck, wearing a long sleeved red and white striped shirt, and a pair of blue jeans. He appeared to be quite preoccupied with his own endeavors; his silver bicycle sat in front of him, turned upside down, allowing him to gain access to the gear train. In lieu of smiling for the camera, Chuck seemed to be hard at work, adjusting his pedals with a crescent wrench as he stared at the gears, laser focused on his work.

Finally, on the stoop next to Chuck sat an eight-year-old Tiffany, wearing a lavender sweater decorated with multi colored accents around the chest. Her long legs were planted on the ground, confined within her blue jeans as she brought her knobby knees together, attempting to sit in a lady like fashion. Her blonde wavy hair was tied into two high ponytails. Her orthodontia had not yet completed it's task; as such it retained it's place on the crown of her head, it's metallic arms extending outward, as it's many wires maintained tension on her crooked smile.

Interestingly Tiffany seemed quite preoccupied herself. The lanky girl sat with her elbows braced on her knees, her chin resting in her palms as her blue eyes stared in Chuck's direction from behind her glasses. The girl smiled heavily, seemingly infatuated with the young budding mechanic.

Tabby giggled slightly as Chuck smiled upon seeing he, his wife, and his friends as children.

"Look at me," said Chuck, "I came a long way from optimizing that old Huffy for mountain biking. Now I got my Harley-Davidson Fatboy to attend to."

Chuck placed his hand gently over the portion of the picture occupied by Tiffany.

"And look at Tiff," said Chuck, "She hated her apparatus, but I always thought it was cool. I guess it was the inner engineer in me that adored it."

"Yeah," said Tabby, "Check her out, it looks like she really adored you back then too!"

Chuck observed the picture, noting Tiffany's loving smile.

"Yeah," said Chuck, "I suppose."

"Dude, she was freaking gaga over ya from the first day she met ya!" said Tabby, "I can still remember that day, about a week after we met, and Tiff started finally coming outside to hang out. We were on the way our clubhouse we built behind the abandoned deli on Huntingdon..."

 _The sun shone brightly on a silver, somewhat rusty chain link fence, surrounding a large lot filled with weeds of various species, most notably that of the "tree of heaven". At the far end of the lot was a one story building, derelict and decrepit, having been abandoned for what seemed like years._

 _Standing in front of the fence were two young girls, Tabby, a small somewhat chunky redhead, and Tiffany, a girl around head and a half taller than her best friend, with a thin build, long arms and lanky legs. Directly in front of the girls was a small hole in the fence, large enough for a young child to crawl through._

 _"So are ya ready to see our club house?" asked Tabby._

 _"I dunno," said Tiffany, "The building seems quite unsafe from here, not to mention there's probably tons of icky bugs in those weeds...and you know how much I hate bugs."_

 _"Don't worry about it!" said Tabby, "It's only a few feet away! We'll have a whole view of the neighborhood, and if any bugs get on ya, I'll help ya get them off."_

 _Before Tiffany could respond, Tabby suddenly dove through the hole._

 _"C'mon, Kate's waiting for us!" said Tabby as she disappeared into the thick weeds, "Last one there is a rotten egg!"_

 _"Tabb!" yelled Tiffany as she held her hand out, "Wait up!"_

 _Tiffany stood still, pondering the situation before her for a few moments. After a few seconds of thinking, the blonde girl let out a nasally sigh, pushed her glasses towards her forehead by placing her index finger on the nose piece, and bent down, adopting a determined expression as she began making her way through the hole._

 _The task was easier imagined than done however; due to a combination of Tiffany's large frame, as well as her intrusive head gear, the awkward girl unfortunately became stuck; specifically, one of her orthodontic wires became ensnared on the edge of one of the cut wires._

 _"He...help!" yelled Tiffany in a panic, her words muffled due to not being able to close her mouth to form certain sounds, "I'm duck! Help, Tabby!"_

 _Around the corner, on a smaller street lined with two story houses, two boys occupied the center of the street; Chuck, a small blonde boy, and Zack, a taller, freckle faced boy with red spikey hair. As Zack attempted to perform tricks on his skateboard, Chuck was hard at work. He had disassembled the gearbox of his bicycle, attempting to get to the bottom of a problem with the shift mechanism._

 _"Geez," said Zack, "You're still trying to get that thing to work? Why don't ya trade that in for a real ride and get with the times, skating is where it's at!"_

 _"I told you, I'll skateboard with you tomorrow," said Chuck, "I have to optimize my bicycle for proper gear engagement while climbing hills."_

 _"Whatever nerdo," said Zack playfully, "I think you're just scared, you never tackled the half pipe!"_

 _"Neither have you!" said Chuck as he stood up off of the ground to take a break from his bike, rubbing his head in the process._

 _At that point, the sound of Tiffany's voice calling for help rang through the air, causing both boys to turn their attention towards the source of the noise._

 _"What is that?" asked Zack._

 _"Sounds like someone's in trouble," said Chuck, "I'll be right back!"_

 _In a flash, Chuck briskly made his way around the corner in the direction of the chain link fence. After a few short moments, he turned the corner to find Tiffany, trapped as if she were a fly in a spiders web._

 _Chuck calmly approached Tiffany's position, lowering himself onto his knees to the level of the hole. He glanced inside, at which point he made eye contact with Tiffany for the first time._

 _"Hello," said Chuck in the gentle voice of a pre pubescent child,_

 _"Hi," said Tiffany, staring at Chuck with a neutral expression._

 _"It appears that you are in a challenging situation," said Chuck, "I think I can help."_

 _Chuck reached into his pocket, and removed a pair of red handled pliers. He proceeded to examine the situation, eventually finding the problem._

 _"Ah ha," said Chuck, "It appears that your upper radial support wire has been snagged on this hooked portion of the fence. A simple bend with the pliers should be sufficient."_

 _In an instant, Chuck took hold of the fence wire with his pliers and bent it to a straight position, freeing Tiffany from it's grasp. He then grabbed hold of Tiffany's hand, helping her to a standing position. The boy was quite surprised; he had heard of Tiffany before, but had not yet met her face-to-face, and thus was taken aback by her above average height. The two children stared at each other for a few moments, at which point Chuck finally decided to break the silence._

 _"You know, your apparatus is quite intriguing," said Chuck, "Bye!"_

 _At that point, Chuck awkwardly turned away from Tiffany, and proceeded to run back towards the end of the block. Tiffany watched, maintaining a neutral expression as he rounded the corner, eventually disappearing from view. A few seconds passed, at which point Tiffany's face began to suddenly blush; she smiled, clasped her hands together, and emitted a long drawn out sigh in a dreamy manner. In a cartoonish fashion, her two ponytails formed into the shape of a heart above her head, as she defied the laws of physics by floating over the fence in the direction of the clubhouse._

 _Inside the building, Tabby had made her way up the to the second floor. The red headed girl was currently reclining in an old lawn chair (harvested from a local junkyard) and proceeded to bury her face in a clothing magazine. Her attention was quickly turned elsewhere, for Tiffany had finally arrived, floating up the stairs, and taking her place next to the old window over looking the back street._

 _"Finally!" said Tabby, "What in the world happened to you?"_

 _Tiffany sighed as she stared out the window overlooking the back street, where Chuck had returned to working on his bike as he conversed with Zack._

 _"He happened," said Tiffany in a dreamy manner as she pointed out the window, "The boy working on his bike, how manly of him..."_

 _Tabby maintained a neutral expression as she rose from her seated position, making her way towards the window to see the source of Tiffany's fuss._

 _"Oh," said Tabby casually as she glanced out the window, "You mean Chuckie?"_

 _"Yeah," said Tiffany as she leaned her elbows on the window sill, placing her chin into her hands, "Chuckie..."_

 _"Oh boy..." said Tabby as she rolled her eyes and returned to her lawn chair._

 _Back on the street, Chuck had returned to Zack's position. As he kneeled down, attempting to return to tending his bike, Zack initiated a conversation._

 _"Who was stuck?" asked Zack._

 _"It was that tall girl from around the corner," said Chuck, "The one with the cool braces that look like Mr. VonHeeders Tarantula!"_

 _"No way," said Zack, "The O'Leary giantess! She's like an urban legend, they say her real name is Tiffany, and her parents did experiments on her that caused her to grow to the size of a mountain. The experiments caused her to be fit with all kinds of robot parts and become a cyborg. They say never leaves the house because of it, but I guess they finally decided to let her run free and experience the world!"_

 _"Can it!" said Chuck, "She seems really nice, and there's nothing wrong with her. She's an ordinary girl, she just is a little tall and needs braces to help her with her teeth. She's different, that's all, and that's why I think she's cool."_

 _"Uh oh," said Zack as he ceased skateboarding, adopting a sly grin as he did so._

 _"No," said Chuck in a negative manner as he continued turning his wrench._

 _"Chuck and Tiffany sitting in a tree!" chanted Zack teasing his friend, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"_

 _"Shut up!" said Chuck, becoming increasing irritated._

 _"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a..."_

 _Chuck suddenly rose up from his position, spinning towards Zack with an angry glare._

 _"I said shut up!" said Chuck, "I don't like her like that, and I never will. Stupid girls, taking me away for fixing my bike. One day, I'm gonna build me a fast race car, become a professional driver, and win every trophy in the world. And I'm never going to let disgusting girls get in my way!"_

 _Zack giggled._

 _"Sorry man," said Zack, "I just had to test ya! I'm with you, one day I'm gonna join the navy, I want to be on a submarine, where there are no girls allowed...I think..."_

 _Chuck and Zack shared a fist pump, after which Zack returned to skateboarding, as Chuck returned to tending to his bike._

Tabby and Chuck shared a giggle as they reminisced upon the past.

"It's a cute story!" said Tabby.

"Yeah," said Chuck, "Back then, I was just an eight-year-old boy, the thought of having a girlfriend seemed disgusting, all's I wanted to do was own my own car and play video games...I never would have thought that I would eventually be asked out on a date by that unique young lady, let alone take her to the prom, marry her, start a company with her, and best of all be blessed with a beautiful daughter with her as her mother."

"Amazing how life turns out," said Tabby as she puffed her cigarette, "Through a series of events, I was fortunately blessed with three daughters, and while the circumstances weren't ideal, I would not trade the life I have now for the world."

Tabby paused for a few moments, prior to continuing.

"Tiffany helped me so much through all of my hard times," said Tabby, "If it wasn't for her friendship, and the fact that she always stuck by me no matter what, I would have probably ended up in the same situation as Kate. She and Annalee are the two reasons I'm sitting here talking to you right now, and not either dead or in jail."

Tabby took a draw from her cigarette.

"She put up with all of my bullshit, and was always so compassionate about it," said Tabby, "She always lectured me about the choices I began to make, and warned me not to trust Butch because she had a bad feeling about him. Even though I didn't listen, she still comforted me when Butch threw me out, and helped me through my pregnancy."

"She did more than that!" said Chuck, "Remember when she found out that Butch threw you down the stairs?"

"Yeah," said Tabby, "She was so mad! It was so weird to see Tiff that mad, after being so used to her being a calming influence. She walked right over to his apartment, and banged on his door like a cop. It was so funny, she yelled "open this damn door" from the outside, so he knew it was a female, but he didn't expect to meet one he could speak to at eye level when he opened it...not to mention a knockout punch to the face!"

The two adults shared a laugh, at which point Tabby grabbed another photograph from the box. This particular photograph was of a high school aged Tiffany. Her head gear had been removed, but she still maintained ordinary braces on her teeth. Her blonde hair was tied backward in a high ponytail, and her glasses had been removed, replaced by contact lenses. The photograph was part of a "player profile" of sorts, depicting Tiffany standing in an orange basketball jersey and shorts, holding an orange basketball under her arm. Along the sides of the photograph, a decorative column displayed her stats:

 _Tiffany O'Leary_

 _Height: 6'6"_

 _Weight: 185 lbs_

 _Position: Center_

"Taking down abusive men wasn't the only thing that height was good for," said Tabby, "It also got her recruited for what would be her favorite hobby through high school!"

Chuck giggled.

"Yeah," said Chuck, "We came back from summer vacation, and while Tiff was always taller than everyone else, she seemed to have another growth spurt between eighth and ninth grade. I think that's when she broke six feet."

 _"_ Yep," said Tabby, "Rodeeia was the one who recruited her. She was already a basketball star, but when she noticed Tiffany got even taller, it was like her jaw dropped. You know Rodeeia, how she always told it like it was. She walked over said _, (_ imitating her friend Rodeeia's voice _) "Damn girl, you tall...you should play basketball",_ and the rest was history!"

"She was really nervous about it," said Chuck, "She never touched a ball in her life, but after a lot of practice, she became quite skilled. She was amazing, a natural born athlete and she didn't even know it!"

"You know it," said Tabby, "Check out this still!"

Tabby brandished yet another picture in the direction of Chuck. This one depicted a view of the high school basketball court (during the course of a game) from the vantage point of the bleachers. Several girls, including Rodeeia, an African-American girl of average female height with black hair styled in shoulder length braids, stood around the basketball net in various positions, setting up an offensive play in orange jerseys. Five other girls, all wearing blue jerseys representing the opposing team, guarded each of the orange teams individuals in a defensive manner.

However, the main subject of the photograph was Tiffany, who was for lack of a better term, airborne. The tall thin girl had initiated her jump from the area just outside the key; her front leg lifted into the air as her body passed over the defender, clearing the much shorter girl as if she were a hurdler. The opposing girl appeared completely bewildered as she glanced above her, observing Tiffany lift her right hand into the air, palming the basketball in her hand as she traveled in an upward arc toward the basket.

"Nice!" said Chuck, "This is her famous slam dunk against Frankford! I have a copy of the video Tiffs dad took of it! It's so fun to watch, just like it was when I saw it live. It's amazing how she contorted her legs to avoid hitting the other girl and drawing a foul as she passed over her, the crowd went nuts!. I gave Little Tiffany the video, so she's seen it countless times, but this still is amazing, it's like it came out of a sports magazine. Would you mind if I made a copy of it to give to Little Tiffany? She'd love to have it!"

"Of course not," said Tabby, "Don't be stupid, take it!"

Chuck took a hold of the photograph, holding it in his hands as he examined it for a few moments. He gently placed it down on the coffee table and continued to stare at the far wall as he initiated a new conversation.

"I see a lot of Tiff everyday in Little Tiffany," said Chuck, "She looks just like her, walks just like her, and shares her love and fascination with finance and business. Geez, I could never learn how to do my taxes, but one day Tiffany offered to do them without hesitation. Of course, I was a little hesitant seeing as how she was twelve at the time, but I had one of my financial guys that usually does them give it a once over. He was amazed, Tiffany did an impeccably perfect job, picking up on many things my accountant said he missed...needless to say, I never went back to him again, Tiffany's been trusted with my money ever since, just like her mother was."

Chuck paused.

"The only difference between the two is that while Tiff was an athlete, and could care less for anything typically considered girly," said Chuck, "Little Tiffany is the definition of a "girly girl". I mean, we're talking hair, nail polish, fashion, jewelry, the whole nine yards. I don't know where the hell it came from, but ever since she could walk she's been drawn to it."

"Must of been hard for a tough guy like you," said Tabb as she smiled.

"Oh you ain't shittin," said Chuck as he giggled.

There was another slight pause as Tabby took a draw of her cigarette.

"Unfortunately, I see another trait of Tiffs in Tiffany that I really wish I didn't," said Chuck, "She sits to pose for pictures to try to hide her height, just like Tiff did. She already is really self-conscious about it, which upsets me quite a bit."

Chuck turned towards Tabby.

"You know, most guys would tell you that they'd feel awkward dating a girl taller than them." said Chuck, "But I never felt that way with Tiff. In the rare occasion that she wore high heels, and by rare I mean prom night and our wedding day, she stood 6'8" inches tall, as opposed to my puny 5'6". But as stupid and cliche as it sounds, when I was standing next to her, I felt ten feet tall, because I knew that she loved me, and that meant everything in the world to me. I always joked with her that we were more like spiders than humans, because their sexual dimorphism often causes the female to be significantly larger than the male...just a little nerd joke."

Chuck giggled slightly for few moments. At the conclusion of his laughter, the mustached mans face returned to a neutral expression.

The two adults sat in complete silence , at which point Chuck's bottom lip suddenly began to tremble. Within seconds, small tears began trickling down the rugged mans cheeks; while he resented the fact of crying, he made no attempt to turn away from his friend (who had began crying herself) to hide his tears.

"I just miss her so much Tabb..." said Chuck, barely able to get his words out between sobs. He then proceeded to bury his face into his right hand, as Tabby moved closer to him, eventually placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Me too Chuck," said Tabby, "Me too..."

As the reunion between Tabby and Chuck continued, things were quite busy back at the Statorowski residence. Lee and Lindsay had awoken around three hours ago, and after a breakfast of pancakes, commenced on completing their master plan to rid Lindsay of the parasite that had infiltrated her and her fathers lives.

The two girls had changed out of their pajamas and into their typical day wear. Lindsay was currently standing in front of her large vanity mounted mirror, running a comb through her wavy blonde hair as she observed her reflection. Lee had taken her place sitting on Lindsay's bed, and was in the process of pulling her black high heeled boots onto her feet.

With one final tug, Lee's foot was fully secured within her right boot. As the redheaded girl proceeded to move the side mounted zipper to the closed position, she initiated a conversation.

"Well Liz," said Lee, "Are you ready to finally be free and be your own woman!?"

Lindsay sighed.

"As ready as I'll ever be I suppose," said Lindsay.

At that point, Lee suddenly rose off of the bed, and decided to play a little bit of a joke on her friend. She made her way over to Lindsay's position, and stood slightly behind her as she spoke to her through the mirror in an exaggerated voice reminiscent of something one would hear from a military drill sergeant.

"What kind of talk is that soldier?" said Lee, "Now let's try it again, are you ready to be a free woman, or are you not!"

"Yeah," said Lindsay as she cracked a slight smile.

"I can't hear you!" yelled Lee in a long drawn out manner.

Lindsay placed her comb down on the vanity, and promptly turned towards Lee. She proceeded to salute Lee while standing at attention.

"M'am yes M'am" yelled Lindsay in a deep voice, at which point both girls shared a laugh.

"Alright, enough of that," said Lee, "What time is it?"

"Eleven Thirty," said Lindsay.

"We have an hour and half until we execute operation "Get Rid of Da Crazy Bitch" said Lee, "What do ya say we get some lunch? Just let me finish getting dressed."

"Sure thing LeeLee," said Lindsay, "While you're finishing up, I'll go grab us a refill of OJ. Be right back."

Lee nodded as Lindsay proceeded to make her way out of her bedroom, carrying she and Lee's empty glasses. The blonde girl smiled as she walked down the hall, and descended the stairs at a rapid pace. While she was quite nervous regarding the plan that was discussed the previous night, she knew that a small amount of nervousness was more than worth a life time of freedom from the bounds of her tormentor.

In no time, the jovial girl passed through the elaborate archway, acting as the entry to the roomy kitchen. However, the tall girls brilliant smile transformed into an expression of distress as her eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar face seated at the kitchen table.

Lindsay remained as still as a statue, paralyzed with fear as her eyes met the person she was least willing to see. Edyta herself sat in one of the wooden chairs, her right leg draped over her left. The evil woman continued to stare in the direction of Lindsay, smiling eerily as she tapped the wooden surface with her index finger.

"What's wrong?" asked Edyta, breaking the silence, "Surprise to see me?"

Lindsay remained completely silent.

"Thought so," said Edyta in her heavily accented voice, "What coincidence, I'm just as surprised as you. I can't help notice that you carry two glasses, but your father is not home."

Edyta paused, at which point she rose from her seated position. She slowly made her way towards Lindsay, her heels clicking on the tiled floor in a slow, seemingly demonic drumbeat as she continued to eye Lindsay with an evil glare.

"So," said Edyta as she stopped directly in front of Lindsay, staring up into her eyes as she continued, "Who is special guest?"


	85. Chapter 85

**Chapter 85**

Only two seconds had passed following Edyta's question; however, from Lindsays perspective the time seemed to flow infinitely slow. The two women remained locked in each others gaze, Edyta maintaining a toothy grin as Lindsay displayed fearful expression.

"I ask again," said Edyta in a highly ignorant intonation, "Who is special guest?"

Lindsay paused for a few seconds, at which point she finally decided to respond in a quiet, breathy voice.

"Nobody...", said Lindsay.

Lindsay was caught completely off guard as Edyta suddenly grabbed a hold of her left arm, and proceeded to twist it. The connective tissue in her left rotator cuff was especially weak, and if disturbed caused the girl paralyzing pain. This characteristic had been discovered by Edyta years prior, and was a favorite technique to easily subdue the larger Lindsay.

Without hesitation, Edyta grabbed Lindsay by the nape of her neck with her other arm, and proceeded to slam her head onto the marble counter top. She slid he girls head across the surface, knocking several dishes used a few hours prior onto the floor, shattering them. As Lindsay's head approached the stove top, Edyta ceased dragging her, leaving her staring directly at the front burner.

As Lindsay ground her teeth from the agonizing pain, Edyta leaned over her back in an effort to place her mouth close to her ear.

"I know you froze accounts, you little bitch," said Edyta in a quiet voice, "Little girls like you should to keep out of adult business. Now you pay, I don't care about consequence, I'll just lie like I always do, and you are forced to lie so Daddy doesn't die...BoooHoo."

Edyta snickered as she reached her hand towards the front knob of the gas range, igniting the front burner. Lindsay's eyes widened as the blue glow of the flame hissed around five inches from her eyes, her world seeming to halt as fear completely overtook her. While the sound of the flames were in reality, barely audible, it seemed to roar at a volume comparable to a waterfall.

"Now Little Girl," said Edyta, "It's time for upgrade. Obviously, fixing your arms doesn't work, because you can just cover up with tacky mothers coat. Well it's time we gave pretty face a nice little makeover...think of it as bond between two women, you will remember this moment for rest of your life, and be reminded every time you look in mirror."

Edyta giggled maniacally as she slowly began pushing Lindsay towards the flame.

"No," said Lindsay in a frantic manner as the flames drew closer to her face, "Please...please...no..."

"Sorry," said Edyta, "It's just something that has to be done."

Edyta continued giggling, sliding Lindsay ever so closer to the flames. The blonde girl pleaded desperately to be released, as she began to feel the heat from the burning gases on her right cheek.

However, to Lindsay's great fortune and surprise, Edyta's death grip was suddenly released just as her face breached an inch-length from the burner. Coinciding with the release was the sound of a crash, as if a glass bottle had been broken, as well as a thud.

Trembling slightly, Lindsay lifted herself up from a standing position and turned herself around to find Edyta, collapsed on the floor next to the counter. The woman appeared to be in a slight stupor, writhing around as a small amount of blood trickled from the side of her head. Surrounding her on the floor were fragments of what appeared to be a broken glass bottle of cola.

As Lindsay's eyes continued to pan around the room, she soon spotted Lee standing a few feet behind her. The redheaded girl had adopted an angry facial expression, staring down at Edyta as she clutched cap end of a broken coke bottle in her right hand while breathing heavily. Hearing the commotion downstairs, Lee rushed to her friends aid, stopping Edyta's torment before any serious damage was able to be done.

Lee turned towards Lindsay.

"Are you alright Liz?" asked Lee.

"I think so," said Lindsay, still breathing heavily from the stress.

After ensuring Lindsay was free of injury, Lee returned her attention to Edyta. The brown haired woman gradually came to, and to Lee's surprise, began rising back to a standing position; her back facing the girls. After stumbling for a few moments, Edyta decided to begin speaking, as blood slowly trickled from her head wound.

"You little lice headed bitch," said Edyta as she continued to stumble, as if she were a zombie, "Where in the hell did you come from?"

"My secret," said Lee sarcastically.

"I see," said Edyta, "You struck me while back was turned..."

Edyta slowly turned towards the girls, speaking softly in an angry tone, her eyes appearing as if they belonged to the devil himself. After a few seconds, her pupils slowly rotated towards the area of the kitchen counter; an action which caused Lee's eyes to widen as if she sensed something odd.

Without warning, Edyta suddenly lunged in the direction of the counter, screaming wildly as she did so.

"Please allow me to return favor!" yelled Edyta as she took hold of a large kitchen knife, left on the counter from an earlier breakfast excursion, "Be gone with you once and for all!"

Edyta tossed the knife into the air, catching it's black handle such that the blade pointed downward, indicative that it was to be used for stabbing. In an instant, Edyta lifted the knife over her head, and proceeded to run in the direction of Lee.

Lindsay flinched as she observed the situation, fearful that she was about to see her friend receive grave injury. However, while Edyta's intent was to seriously maim the tall, slim redhead, she had not counted on the fact that Lee had received a years worth of martial arts training from her father. In an instant, Lee batted Edyta's forearm away with her own; using her opposite hand, she took hold of Edyta's forearm, twisting it as she did so, forcing Edyta into an awkward position.

Using her leverage, Lee moved Edyta's arm towards the dining room table, slamming it down onto the surface such that her hand (clutching the knife) was over the edge. Using her opposite hand, she performed a swift karate chop, bringing her hand down directly on top of Edyta's wrist. This maneuver effectively disarmed the psychopath by causing her to drop the knife, while simultaneously spraining a few of the bones in her wrist.

Lee kicked the knife away as Edyta gripped her wrist, writhing in pain due to her broken bones. In a fury, Lee grabbed Edyta's broken wrist with her opposite hand.

"You like burning people?" asked Lee, "Well here's a taste of your own medicine bitch!"

Lee suddenly whipped Edyta's arm around in a circular arc, bringing her forearm down directly on top of the range. The blue flame, intended to be used to burn Lindsay's cheek, ignited Edyta's gray fur coat, quickly burning through it's layers and scolding the skin on her wrist.

Edyta screamed in pain as she pulled away from the range, flinging her wrist in an attempt to extinguish the flames. As she did so, Lee quickly made her way towards Lindsay's position, grabbing her hand as she did so.

"Lindsay, change of plan" yelled Lee, "Let's go!"

Lindsay stood still, watching Edyta scream as she began to gain control of her flaming coat.

"Lindsay!" yelled Lee.

"What!" yelled Lindsay.

"Move your ass girl!" yelled Lee as she grabbed Lindsay's hand, and proceeded to lead her to the garage.

"LeeLee," yelled Lindsay, "What are we doing?"

"Plan B Liz," said Lee as she jumped on Lindsay's scooter, "We'll lure her into our trap. Get on, I'll drive!"

Edyta, who had finally extinguished the flames, had turned her attention to the garage. The once carefully composed woman was now a shell of her former self; the slow river of blood flowing over her face, her half singed right sleeve and grotesquely swollen wrist made her appear as if she were undead. This trait was exacerbated by her evil eyes, whose irises remained focused in the direction of the garage as she hobbled towards the door.

Out in the garage, Lindsay appeared quite nervous regarding Lee's plan. The blonde girl stood still, as Lee turned the key, bringing the two stroke engine to life. As Edyta's primal screams sounded from within the house, Lindsay decided to finally mount the scooter, taking a position behind Lee.

"Have you ever drove a Buddy?" asked Lindsay.

"Nope," said Lee, "But I promise I won't let anything happen to your moms scooter."

Before Lindsay could respond, Lee kicked the scooter into gear and rotated the throttle to the open position, causing the vehicle to seemingly fly out of the garage door, and out onto Haventhought way.

At the same time, Edyta had finally arrived at the entrance to the garage; the petite woman paused at the door, leaning on the trim as she regained her strength for a few precious seconds; watching as the girls attempted to make their escape. As the scooter left the driveway, Edyta began to walk towards her car in a fit of rage.

"You're not going anywhere," said Edyta as she jumped into the driver's seat of the car, and proceeded to start the engine. The insane woman shifted the vehicle into reverse, and accelerated the car backwards out of the driveway at high speed. As she cleared the end of the driveway, she angled her wheel to the left, shifted the vehicle into drive, and stepped on the gas pedal, causing the vehicle to accelerate towards the end of the block at a high rate of speed.


	86. Chapter 86

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello everyone._

 _This chapter was hard for me to write, and I wrestled whether or not to release it today._

 _However, I feel that it is important to the story, and must ultimately be written to bring it all into alignment._

 _The next will be out in a few days, I hope the suspense is okay._

 _I hope you guys are enjoying it, and stick by me until the end. A year later and only a few more chapters to go!_

 **Chapter 86**

The Main Street of the Peach Creek business district was quite abuzz with vehicles, as it was every Christmas Eve. Hundreds of families flocked to the roads, on their way to visit relatives for a holiday brunch. Unfortunately, this large influx of people caused traffic to move quite slow on the main thouroughfair, as well as the surrounding streets.

Within the wall of automobiles, a shiny purple scooter, piloted by Lee with Lindsay taking a back seat, bobbed and weaved around the slow moving vehicles. While Lee was used to taking risks on the road, having quite a bit of experience driving a car, Lindsay seemed rather nervous.

As Lindsay clutched Lee's abdomen with all of her might, the cars in front of the scooter began to come to a halt; this was due to the traffic light at the upcoming intersection transitioning to its amber signal. To Lindsay's dismay, after a quick check of her left mirror, Lee weaved around the stopping vehicle and blipped the throttle, powering through the light a few seconds after it activated its red signal.

"LeeLee, are you sure this is safe?" asked Lindsay, "I mean, we just ran a red light!"

"Don't worry about it, I'm in control," said Lee in a calm yet determined manner, "Besides, our little friend appears to have caught up to us, and doesn't seem to mind violating the traffic laws if it means attempting to kill us."

Lee lifted her left hand into the air for a brief instant, performing a hitchhikers thumb as if to signal Lindsay to look behind. As the blonde diva turned, her eyes assumed a rather alarmed expression. Edyta had commandeered her vehicle, and had managed to catch up to the girls. She was currently around two blocks behind the scooter, driving with absolutely no regard to any of her surroundings. In lieu of waiting in the slow moving traffic, the mad woman had jumped her wheels onto the sidewalk, speeding down the concrete path while ignoring all traffic signals and safety laws, in an effort to catch up to Lee and Lindsay.

At that point, Lee activated her right turn signal, and suddenly angled the handle bars in that direction. Lindsay was quite taken aback by Lee's sudden change of course, promptly turning around to demand an explanation.

"Annalee, what are you doing!" yelled Lindsay, "This isn't the way to the parking lot!"

"I'm cutting through the side streets," said Lee, "There's too many innocent people out in the business district, and I don't want them getting hurt while we're trying to take care of Little Miss Sunshine. I put my signal on so she knew to follow us."

Lindsay remained silent, merely nodding her head while allowing Lee to proceed with her course of action.

"Hang on Liz," said Lee, "We're almost there, it will all be over soon!"

There was a period of silence as Lee made a few more last minute turns, avoiding busy streets while simultaneously causing Edyta to have to slow down; the compact car could not make the same quick and narrow turns as Lindsay's scooter, providing the girls with a major advantage.

Eventually, the girls came upon their destination; a small secluded empty parking lot, located behind a major warehouse in the outskirts of the business district. The lot was surrounded by a chain link fence, it's sole entrance barely large enough for a car to fit.

Lee jumped the curb and proceeded to drive the scooter into the center of the parking lot. After applying the brakes to bring the vehicle to a halt, Lee placed the kick stand in the down position and cut the ignition.

Both girls stepped off of the scooter; Lindsay appeared rather nervous, cautiously observing her surroundings as Lee removed her cell phone from her pocket.

"11:55," said Lee, "We just have to stall her for five minutes."

"Yeah," said Lindsay, "I hope they got the message...or we're as...g..good as dead."

"Calm down Liz," said Lee as she placed her hands on her shoulder, "Channel your inner Tiffany and be brave...now is the time!"

Lindsay swallowed heavily as she nodded in agreement. At that moment, the sound of a car engine approaching grew in intensity; within seconds, Edyta had arrived. The seemingly insane woman jumped the curb with her BMW, crashing through a portion of the chain link fence as the car approached the girls position, screeching to a halt around fifteen feet away from them.

The girls watched as the driver's side door slowly opened, allowing Edyta to place her black boots on the gravely asphalt. The petite woman proceeded to stand up, and (after making no attempt to close the car door) began walking toward the girls position while maintaining an evil glare. In lieu of her typical arrogant walk, the mad woman hobbled as if she were walking with a peg leg, due to still being dazed from Lee's attack. She had retrieved the knife from the floor, and was currently carrying the large blade in her uninjured hand. Despite having a broken wrist and bleeding head, the woman seemed to be surpassing all sources of pain, her insanity serving as a natural painkiller.

"Well, well," said Edyta, "You girls are stupider than I realized. You try to escape me, but instead you come to middle of nowhere. A place where no one can hear you scream."

"Trust me," said Lee as she discretely rechecked her phone, "I think you'll soon realize that you are the stupid one!"

"Oh really, now...", said Edyta as she came within ten feet of the girls, "I think the fact that you provoke lady with the weapon is testament to your foolishness."

"It didn't work before, and it ain't gonna work on me now," said Lee, "Alright Edyta, I get it...you are a power hungry, egotistical maniac. But before you attempt and fail at killing us, would you mind telling us what your fucking problem is with me and the Statorowski's? I mean, if you were in our situation, wouldn't you, at the very least, like to know why you're being killed?"

At that point, Lindsay shot a fearful glare toward her friend. The tall diva was in complete disbelief that Lee could maintain complete control in front of such a hostile threat, especially someone brandishing a weapon. Nevertheless, she turned back toward Edyta awaiting a response.

Edyta proceeded to grin, all the while giggling sarcastically.

"My my, look at this," said Edyta, "Such big talk coming from such young girl. Such a smart ass, just like the mother."

"My mother?" asked Lee.

"Oh yes," said Edyta, "You are daughter of Tabitha Kanker, no?"

Lee remained silent, surprised to hear her mother's name come from Edyta's mouth. Playing into her surprise, Edyta continued speaking.

"The resemblance is, how do you say?...Uncanny," said Edyta, "Long shoulder length red curls, freckles on the face, and high cheek bones. Only difference is you do not seem to be over fed, unlike fat pig you call mother."

Lee remained silent; while quite angry regarding the insult of her mother, she was quite confused as to how Edyta knew Tabby in the first place.

"Yes Tabby Kanker was lesser half of duo," said Edyta, "She always remained one step behind Tiffany O'Leary, in looks and in talent."

At the sound of Tiffany's name, Lee and Lindsay turned toward each other, sharing a confused stare at the sound of Edyta's words.

"My oh my, you two don't know," said Edyta, "Your mothers were the best of friends, always hanging together, making plans, having fun."

Lee and Lindsay remained silent staring in Edyta's direction.

"I move to country from Poland when I was fourteen," said Edyta, "I speak only few English words, because of language barrier I have trouble making friends...except Tiffany O'Leary. Tiffany welcome me into group of friends, her Tabitha and Kate. We all get along so well, but Tiffany, the only person who ever made me feel special will not consider me best friend...she always called Tabby...your mother...her best friend."

The two girls remained silent, paralyzed with shock upon hearing Edyta's story. The petite woman took a moment to catch her breath, at which point she decided to continue.

"It's all your mothers fault," said Edyta, "Her and that nerdy midget...they kept her away from me, and stopped her from accepting her position of popularity in high school. In class, Tiffany always choose Tabby to work on project, and study with her in library, leaving me to work by myself."

"Are you serious?" asked Lee, "All of this over a stupid high school grudge? You're gonna take a twenty year old issue out on an innocent fourteen-year-old by burning her. Geez, you've got more issues than I thought!"

"DON'T LECTURE ME ON ISSUES YOU LITTLE SHIT!" yelled Edyta, in a volume that seemed comparable to that of a freight train. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH YOUR MOTHER HAS FUCKED ME THROUGHOUT LIFE. SHE RUIN EVERYTHING BY STEALING CLOSEST THING TO HAVE TO FAMILY, HER DESTINY WAS TO DIE."

Edyta calmed down ever so slightly after her sudden outburst, slowly turning towards Lindsay.

"That little bitch standing there is the most guilty of them all, and if you ask me she deserved every damn minute of the burning!"

The girls listened in silence as Edyta continued her rant; her demeanor returning to that of a calm yet malicious nature.

"I love Tiffany more than friend," said Edyta, "She was best thing that ever happened to me; so pretty, so nice, so tall...but she would never be mine...not as long as Tabitha Kanker and Chuck Statorowski were in picture. So I made up mind, they hurt me by keeping Tiffany away, so I hurt them ten times over."

"I'll be damned," said Lee in a soft tone, "All of those stories my mom told about being bullied...her hair being cut off, having rocks thrown at her, being called ugly on a daily basis...it was you..."

"Oh yes, my dear little friend," said Edyta is a sadistic manner, "I take pride in my work, and do whatever I can to make sure justice is served to those who wrong me. And lo and behold, I punish the three worst offenders. First I make Tabitha's life miserable for keeping Tiffany from joining me and embracing her popularity. Then, years later I play into Chuck's depression, and manipulate my way into his life. I use his money to fund my business while driving him even further down, convincing him his little sweet angel is slicing wrists...how fitting for the man who stole my pride and joy away from me."

Edyta laughed maniacally as both Lee and Lindsay stood in disbelief.

"And lastly, I saved the best punishment for the worst offender of them all," said Edyta as she pointed the blade of her knife in the direction of Lindsay, "The one who took her away from this world...the one who killed her."

Edyta's eyes suddenly flared, as her voice continued to escalate as she continued on her tirade.

"Tiffany die before I have chance to be with her," said Edyta, "I hate her for that, and now she must suffer in the afterlife by watching her little clone suffer at the hands of me...and who is causing me to do? YOU! YOU WALK AROUND THIS WORLD WITH COAT! WITH PRETTY BLONDE HAIR, WITH SIX FOOT TALL HEIGHT! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO HOLD THOSE TRAITS...YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE!"

Edyta paused, glancing toward Lee as she completed her insane tirade, tears beginning to stream from her eyes.

"SHE HAS FORCED ME TO HURT AND HATE THE ONE I LOVE," said Edyta, "SHE STOLE THE LITTLE BIT OF ANYTHING I HAD IN LIFE. I HAVE NOTHING NOW, AND IT'S ALL HER FAULT...AND HER...DEBT...MUST...BE...PAID!"

Lee glanced toward Lindsay as Edyta completed her statement; the blonde girl maintained a neutral expression, staring into Edyta's eyes with what seemed like determination. After a few moments, Lee turned back towards Edyta.

"You are sick with insanity," said Lee in a calm quiet voice, "You are more disgusting than I realized, putting those kind of thoughts into an innocent girls head."

"Oh Hun," said Edyta, "You have no idea what is meant by sick. I know all about you, you call me insane, but I was never placed in camp and forced to take pills to combat illness."

Lee's face dropped to a nervous expression as Edyta giggled.

"Let me tell fun story about you," said Edyta, "After your mother made it her mission to ruin my FUCKING LIFE, I decided to make hers most miserable. Oh yes, I cover all bases. Tabby Kanker herself was too easy to harm, weak, and easily overpowered by me and girls from cheer squad. However, I quickly bored of that, physical harm too easy. Time for psychological play."

Lee continued to stare in Edyta's direction, her face growing increasing angry as she did so.

"Manipulation to make her miserable worked," said Edyta, "She got so messed up that she start fucking everything that walk, like the whore she was. What a pity that it result it in you being created. As a plus, that little annoying twit that you'd call Aunt...yes Katie Kanker, well let's just say she was even easier to change. A few small bits of drug, and she fall to addiction, then become my slave. I use her for prostitution, make money, all while watching her sister suffer emotionally as I do. Then when I get tired of her, she was easily dealt with in that back alley."

"You son of a bitch..." said Lee in a soft manner as she clenched her fists.

Edyta laughed maniacally as she walked slowly toward Lee, stopping a few feet in front of her. As she stared up into the red heads angry, yet distraught eyes, she decided to continue her gruesome story.

"But that pales in comparison for the ultimate hurt," said Edyta, "You have no idea what people do for drug, or when desperate for money. One phone call to a man...named Dennis Laverty, get him hooked, get him desperate..."

Lee's eyes suddenly widened at the sound of a name she never thought she'd here again. At that point, the red heads resolve seemed to begin to crack. Her eyes began to glaze over, as the malevolent voices she rarely heard began to reanimate inside her head.

"Leave her alone!" yelled Lindsay in angry tone as she slowly moved towards their position.

"You be quiet," yelled Edyta as she whipped around, slapping Lindsay across the face as she did so. The force of the slap knocking the lanky girl onto the ground, "You still haven't yet learned your place, I deal with you once I'm done with your friend."

As Lindsay recovered from the unexpected slap, remaining on her knees with her hands placed flat on the ground, Edyta turned back towards Lee.

"He had one task," said Edyta, "To fuck your life up beyond belief, and by proxy to fuck Tabitha Kankers life...what better way to screw with the one you hate, to hurt the one things they love the most."

Lee reached both of her hands upward, placing them over her ears; covering them in a feeble attempt to stop the voices.

"It appears I succeeded," said Edyta, "I was the one who ruined your mothers life, I was the one who ended Kate's life, I was the one who fucked your life, and most of all, I was the one who ruined Tiffany's legacy for not giving me the time of day. Now that you understand, there is nothing left for me to do but put you out of miserable existence. I have broken you, that karate nonsense will do no good now."

Edyta leaned into Lee's face.

"Understand this," said Edyta, "I control all, I own you, I own the Kankers, and I own the Statorowskis...and there is nothing neither of you will ever be able to do about it."

Edyta proceeded to laugh maniacally, in a manner similar to the female ghost in room 237 of the shining hotel. As she did so, Lee lowered her hands to her sides, clenching her fists as she did so. The tall red head slowly adopted an infuriated facial expression, as Edyta continued laughing; her emotions eventually got the best of her, at which point she decided to react.

At that moment, Lee suddenly lifted her fist, and proceeded to make an attempt to deliver a right hook to the side of Edyta's face; however, much to her surprise, her punch was stopped before she was able to make contact.

"ENOUGH!" yelled the voice of Lindsay, at which point she proceeded to shove Edyta with both of her hands. The two handed shove took Edyta off guard, knocking the woman down onto the ground, while causing the knife she was holding to bounce away, eventually disappearing down into a sewer grate.

A few seconds passed, at which point she slowly rose back to her feet, staring at Lindsay with an evil glare

"You seem to not listen," said Edyta, "I said I deal with you after I deal wit..."

"No," said Lindsay, staring into her tormentors eyes with determination, "You deal with me now."

At that moment, Lindsay reached both of her hands upward and proceeded to use them to remove the large silver hoop earring from her right ear; once finished, she removed the left in a similar fashion. She then reached into the rear console of her scooter, and removed a pair of pink sneakers.

Lee watched with nervousness as the tall girl sat down on her scooter, and removed her brown leather high heeled boots, placing them inside the scooter along with her earrings for safe keeping. After placing the pink sneakers on her feet, she proceeded to stand up, remove her hair band, and tie her blonde waves into a tight ponytail using a blue tie.

Lastly, she slowly unzipped her mother's lavender fur coat, and separated the halves ever so gingerly. The blonde girl briefly hesitated prior to removing her arms; she had never taken the coat off when outside the confines of her room. Recognizing that it was more than necessary at this time, she slid her arms out of it's sleeves, and proceeded to place it over her left forearm.

"LeeLee," said Lindsay, "Please hold my mothers coat while I take care of this situation."

Lee nodded nervously, still quite shaken up by Edyta's rant.

"Liz...wh...what are you doing?" asked Lee.

"I'm done being a quiet little mouse." said Lindsay, "I'm done watching my family suffer. I'm done being a slave to that disgusting demon standing over there. She will pay for hurting my family, for hurting my friends, and for disgracing my mothers honor."

At that point Lindsay stepped away from Lee, into the center of the parking lot. She turned towards Edyta, staring the woman down with angry eyes as she clenched her fists by her sides. The lanky girl appeared much taller and skinnier without her signature fur coat; she was wearing only a lavender spaghetti strap top, bearing her midriff to the point of her somewhat visible ribs. Her heavily injured arms were completely exposed, her skin stinging due to the bone chilling winter air.

Edyta laughed as she stared in Lindsay's direction.

"You are serious no?," asked Edyta, "You actually want to fight me?"

Lindsay remained silent, simply staring in the direction of Edyta with an angry glare.

"So be it," said Edyta as she slowly walked towards Lindsay's position.


	87. Chapter 87

**Chapter 87**

Lee watched nervously as Edyta slowly approached Lindsay's position, still shaken up by the realization that Edyta was the root cause of the misery her and her family had faced prior to moving to Peach Creek. Lee knew more than anyone that Lindsay was not a fighter, she appeared to lack the necessary skills, strength and stamina, due to her "girly" nature and refusal to take part in anything related to athletics. Accordingly, she was highly nervous for Lindsay's well being, especially her being pitted against an insane psychopath that had zero regard for human life.

As Edyta finally arrived an arms length away from Lindsay, she maintained an arrogant smile as she stared upward into the beautiful giantess' eyes. While Edyta maintained a wide-eyed, yet malicious grin, Lindsay remained completely stoic as she stared downward, appearing quite infuriated.

"So," said Edyta, "Let's see if bite is as bad as bark."

Lindsay remained completely still, not moving a muscle. Edyta giggled, believing Lindsay to be holding back due to cowardice.

"Thought so," said Edyta, "You are no Tiffany, just Amazon Woman knock off. You best learn to..."

Edyta could not complete her sentence, for she was suddenly struck by a powerful punch to the face. The punch knocked the petite woman slightly backward and to the left, causing her to turn slightly away from her attacker.

"Damn," said Lee under her breath, nervously watching the events unfold.

Edyta slowly turned back towards Lindsay. While maintaining a neutral expression, she lifted her forearm to her mouth, and proceeded to wipe off a drip of blood; emanating from her now split lip.

"So you do have enough balls to strike me," said Edyta, "How cute."

Suddenly, Edyta proceeded to throw a punch of her own; however, this punch was delivered directly to Lindsay's abdomen. The pain of a direct punch to her weak abdominal muscles caused the tall girl to keel over, bending slightly while collapsing to her knees.

At that point Edyta walked around to the back of the collapsed Lindsay. She reached toward the back of the blondes head, grabbing her ponytail in her injured hand. She then proceeded to pull down on Lindsay's hair, causing her neck to angle upwards in an effort to initiate eye contact.

Lindsay opened her eyes, her teeth clenched as she attempted to overcome the pain, to find Edyta hovering over her while staring down at her with a malicious expression.

"Now let's work on those nice little teeth you have," said Edyta, "You want to be just like mother after all, right?"

Edyta lifted her fist high into the air, preparing to deliver a punch directly to the immobilized Lindsay. However, at the last second, Lindsay reached her left hand behind her head, and grabbed hold of Edyta's wrist; recognizing that Edyta was using her injured hand to restrain her, she squeezed the battered appendage with all of her might, causing Edyta to release her grip and recoil in pain.

As Edyta released her grip, Lindsay rose back to her feet and proceeded to deliver two more blows to her tormentor, one to the cheek with her right hand, and an awkward yet seemingly effective uppercut to the jaw with her left.

"That a girl, Liz," said Lee to herself, "Go girl, go."

"Alright you little bitch," said Edyta, "You want to play tough, I play play though."

At that point, Edyta delivered a swift jab directly to Lindsay's nose, causing the tall girl to flinch backward. Edyta, while claiming to be powerful, was not a fighter herself; her punches were of poor technique and relatively weak, but were enough to cause Lindsay a slight bloody nose.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" asked Edyta, "Why don't you teach me a lesson, _Tiffany J.R._?"

Blood, along with bugs and fire, was one of Lindsay's biggest phobias. After the punch, Lindsay touched her finger to her nose, developing an expression of distress for a few moments. However, upon hearing Edyta use her and her mother's name in a derogatory fashion, regained control of herself, and decided to deliver three punches to her tormentor.

The first of Lindsay's punches missed, due to Edyta ducking out of harms way. The second connected with Edyta's nose, drawing a slight drip of red connective tissue, and also caused the petite woman to flinch backward.

Lindsay's third punch however, proved to be a mistake; due to telegraphing her movement, Edyta was able to anticipate delivery of her left hook. This allowed the evil woman to take hold of her forearm and twist it, once again causing stress on her left rotator cuff. This action unfortunately immobilized the large girl.

Lee observed with nervousness as Lindsay collapsed to the ground in agony, screaming in pain as Edyta slowly wrestled her downward to a kneeling position.

"Well well," said Edyta, "It seems we have similar situation as before. Except this time friend is in my sights so so she can't sneak up on me. Not that she would anyway, she's too busy trying to beat the voices."

Edyta tightened her grip once again, causing Lindsay to wince. At that point, Edyta's eyes scanned he surface of the parking lot, her eyes widening as she spotted a particular object.

"What do we have here?" asked Edyta as she reached downward with her free hand, picking up a discarded glass bottle of Snappy's iced tea, obviously left there by a litter bug, "Snappy's in a glass bottle, one of your favorite drinks, and as I recall your mothers too."

Edyta examined the bottle, maintaining her death grip on Lindsay as she did so.

"Oh yes," said Edyta, "Made of glass, a quality bottle don't you agree?"

Edyta giggled at her own joke for a few moments, at which point she adopted a malevolent expression. She then proceeded to suddenly smash the bottle onto the hard asphalt, shattering the bottom half; she had effectively created a weapon, the shattered end of the top half the bottle acting as a blade, with the neck as the handle.

"Hmmm, what to do what to do?" asked Edyta, "Let's see...you want look like Tiffany, we we could chop off tacky bangs for start. You like to take big earrings off to fight? Well how about we take ears off too, that way you won't have anything to hang them on. Or maybe we can put nice little scars on face, it's like blank canvas and it would be shame if I didn't do my part to help make it pretty."

Edyta leaned downward, bringing her lips within inches of Lindsay's right ear as she dropped her sarcastic tone and adopted a serious, sinister tone of voice.

"But I think I'll just make one little slice over throat," said Edyta, "Don't worry, in about ten seconds you'll be able to see that whore you call mother again...I know how much you miss her. And that loser of a father, he'll be there in around an hour. It will be like a family reunion, how touching, perfect for you Little Bitch."

Edyta began laughing maniacally as she proceeded to lift the bottle; however, while the sinister woman thought she had the last laugh, her previous statement seemed to spring a proverbial trip wire within Lindsay's psyche. Her cries of pain suddenly ceased as her wincing face disappeared, replaced with an expression of determination.

"How dare you," said Lindsay in an angry tone, as she began to rise to a standing position. In a flash, Lindsay suddenly jerked her shoulder backwards, and with a slight popping sound, voluntarily dislocated her shoulder joint. The new hyper mobility allowed her to regain her footing; she suddenly spun around, delivering Edyta a punch in the face as she did so.

Taken off guard by Lindsay's sudden escape, Edyta released the glass bottle, causing it to fall into the ground and shatter. As Edyta stumbled around on her feet, stunned by the sudden the and powerful strike delivered to her face, Lindsay lifted her right arm towards her left shoulder; with a brisk forward motion, another small pop sounded as she relocated her humerus into its socket.

"You invade my home like a parasite," said Lindsay as she began moving toward the dazed Edyta, "You treat my condition as a way to enslave me, attempt to destroy my best friends life, use my fathers depression over the loss of my mother to manipulate him, and worst of all you dishonor my mother's legacy. You attempted to destroy her husband and daughters life, but you have failed. You forgot that I am my mother's daughter, and while I've never met her, I've heard countless wonderful stories about her compassion, about her determination, about her willingness to stand up for what she believes in. Those traits are what make her my model of womanhood, and every single breath you take is an insult to her!"

As Edyta began to regain her bearings, Lindsay suddenly lunged towards the seemingly helpless woman. For the first time, Edyta's facial expression seemed to transform to one of fear.

Lindsay screamed at the top of her lungs as she delivered a powerful left hook to Edyta's left cheek bone. Lee watched as Lindsay then proceeded to deliver a flurry of powerful punches to the much smaller woman, placing all of her weight into each one. As Lindsay struck the now helpless and fearful Edyta, the brown haired woman's head whipped back and forth as if it were the ball in a game of ping pong.

After delivering a series of three powerful punches to her nemesis, Lindsay paused for a brief second, allowing Edyta to regain her footing. The small woman stumbled around, dazed and barely able to stand due to being punch drunk. Two of the punches managed to knock free her upper lateral incisor, as well as one of her canine teeth. Her nose had been broken, and her right eye seemed to be quite swollen and black.

A few seconds passed at which point Lindsay stepped forward towards the barely able to stand Edyta, looking upon her in a fit of rage.

"NO MORE!" yelled Lindsay as she proceeded to deliver a powerful, knock out punch to Edyta's right temple. In a what seemed like slow motion, the petite woman plummeted to the ground face first, smashing her chin on the asphalt upon impact.

The punch, while powerful, was not enough to knock Edyta out. The thin woman remained in her position, attempting to crawl with her able hand while moaning in pain.

Without hesitation, Lindsay made her way around to the front of Edyta. She proceeded to kneel down, and place her right palm on top of Edyta's head; curling her long pink fingernails towards Edyta's scalp in an attempt to grip onto the woman's short hair. After gripping a tuft of her hair, Lindsay slowly lifted Edyta upward as she raised to a standing position, bringing the woman's face to eye-level.

Lee watched as Lindsay cradled Edyta's body as if she were a marionette; the foreign woman's limp limbs hanging towards the ground as Lindsay stared angrily into her still open eyes. Despite being beaten to a pulp, Edyta maintained an evil glare, her eyes remaining locked with her ex-victims.

After a few seconds, Lindsay adopted a stoic expression as she leaned towards Edyta's face. Much to Edyta's ultimate surprise, Lindsay had one final statement to deliver, a statement that she decided was best served in the polish language. The slim woman's eyes widened, as she heard the sounds of her homeland echo from the blonde girls voice box

"You are a disgrace to this earth, Edyta Babik." said Lindsay, "The devil in disguise...and you don't even care. I can tell by merely looking into your eyes, you have absolutely no remorse, the only thing you are thinking about right now is how you can gather enough strength to try to kill me again."

"You little cunt," said Edyta in the English language using a weak breathy voice, "How the fuck you learn Polish."

Lindsay pulled Edyta towards her face, stopping when Edyta's eyes were around a foot away from here.

"My name is Tiffany Lindsay Statorowski." said Lindsay, "I carry the name of two of the strongest, noble and beautiful women that ever walked this earth. Remember my name for the rest of your miserable existence, as the woman who stripped you of whatever power you thought you had. The woman who overcame your vicious cycle of violence, and played a pivotal role in bringing you to justice for the crimes you have committed against the Kankers and the Statorowskis."

Lindsay paused for a few seconds to catch her breath, at which point she continued to speak in an aggressive manner.

"That first punch was for Tabitha Kanker," said Lindsay, "The second was for Kate Kanker. The third was for Annalee Kanker. And last but not least, the fourth that knocked you on your ass was for the greatest man in this earth, Charles Statorowski."

Edyta watched in fear as Lindsay adopted an angry glare, while simultaneously elevating the petite woman's body a few inches higher.

"AND THIS IS FOR MY MOTHER YOU FUCKING BITCH!" yelled Lindsay as she suddenly released her grip of Edyta's hair, causing her to begin plummeting to the ground. As she did so, Lindsay lifted her right foot behind her, and in an instant brought it forward in a swift kicking motion. The result was a direct impact with the bottom of Edyta's jaw, which effectively launched the petite woman on a parabolic trajectory; landing around ten feet away from Lindsay's position.

Lindsay stood still, breathing heavily as she stared at Edyta's mangled body; despite all of her injuries, the woman was still quite conscious, attempting to crawl away as she manned in pain.

"Wow," said Lee, "Go ahead Lindsay, nice touch."

At that point, Lee noticed movement in her peripheral vision. As the tall red headed turned towards the source of her visual disturbance, a sly smile appeared on her face.

"Right on time," said Lee, "Hey Liz! Sorry to break up the party, but it looks like play time is ova! Looks like Edyta's mommy is here to call her home for dinner!"

Lindsay turned her attention away from the bruised and battered Edyta, focusing her gaze on the street lining the edge of the parking lot. Directly outside of the gate, a large black SUV with tinted windows had pulled up, idling ominously as of observing the events occurring within.

As Lee completed her statement, Edyta slowly lifted her head off of the ground. She placed her hands in the ground, lifting herself up onto her knees, coughing twice as she did so. As she lifted her face upward to scan her surroundings, she spotted the black SUV, at which point her face transformed to an expression of absolute terror.

Edyta watched as the driver's side window of the SUV lowered slightly, obscuring view of the driver, but allowing a thin hand decorated with long red fingernails to emerge. The hand extended its index finger to a vertical position, and began repeatedly raking it backwards, as if the individual were saying, "come here Edyta, we need to talk."

In an instant, Edyta suddenly rose to her feet. Her flight-or-fight response seemed to have kicked in, providing the beaten woman with enough strength to hobble towards her vehicle in a desperate attempt to escape capture.

Edyta jumped into her vehicle, closed the door, and placed the transmission into drive. She floored the accelerator, ultimately exiting the parking lot and proceeding down the street out of view at a high rate of speed. Immediately the black SUV, (piloted by Edyta's "boss", and her cohorts) followed suit, proceeding to give chase to the devilish woman.

Lindsay watched as the vehicles sped away, disappearing around the corner as the sound of their racing engines dissipated.

"You've brought it all on yourself," said Lindsay to herself, "Your fate is in Gods hands now."

Lindsay continued to stare in the direction of the street for a few moments, after which she turned her attention back to Lee. The slim redhead stood as still as statue, and appeared to be in quite a bit of distress; for the last five minutes she had unfortunately been combating the malicious voices that occasionally filled her head, brought about by Edyta's malevolent monologue. Accordingly, she had once again lifted her hands toward her ears, covering them in a futile attempt to make them stop.

Upon witnessing Lee's distress, Lindsay immediately rushed to her aid.

"LeeLee," said Lindsay as she placed her hands on her shoulders, "Are you alright?"

Lee continued to stare forward as Lindsay attempted get her attention.

"LeeLee," said Lindsay, "Look at me LeeLee."

Lee turned toward Lindsay, keeping her hands over her ears.

"I'm fine," said Lee, "But they're back, and saying bad things."

Lindsay nodded, at which point she made her way over to her scooter. She proceeded to open the center console, retrieving Lee's designer hand bag from within. She then made her way back towards her friend, unzipping the bag as she did so.

"Here," said Lindsay as she retrieved Lee's bottle of medication from the bag, "Take two right now!"

Lee calmly obliged, opening the bottle to retrieve two of the relatively large tablets. Despite not having any fluid to take, Lee managed to swallow both with ease, at which point she placed her hands back over ears while collapsing into a seated position. As Lee placed her head in a downward position, shaking it back and forth, Lindsay joined her friend in a seated position, wrapping her arms around her and patting her back as they awaited the end of the storm and Lee's medication to take effect.

After around ten minutes of waiting, Lee had finally regained control of herself. The two girls sat in complete silence, staring towards the hills in the distance as they recovered from the tumultuous showdown with their nemesis. Finally, after a few moments Lee decided to break the silence.

"Well, well look at this," said Lee, "After all that about you being afraid, and how you could never be as brave as me, here you are taking control and comforting me back to reality. I'll admit, she broke me, but not you. You have some amazing will power Liz, putting up with that for ten years of your life and not snapping mentally, I have no idea how you do it. You handled that like a boss! I never thought you had that much fight in ya girl!"

Lindsay giggled.

"I really hate fighting and violence," said Lindsay, "But I did what I had to do, I'm sorry."

"What the hell are ya apologizing for?" asked Lee, "You were defending yourself, your family, and your friends. And if ya ask me, ya did a damn good job of it!"

"Thanks," said Lindsay, "It did feel good to stand up for myself...and my family."

At that point Lindsay glanced down towards her hands, currently resting on her knees. As she gazed upon the tips of her right hand, she adopted an expression of utter distress.

"OH NO!" yelled Lindsay.

"What, what!" yelled Lee, thinking Lindsay to be in some sort of pain.

Lindsay held her hand up in the air, spreading her fingers out as she pouted.

"I chipped two of my nails! during that last punch" said Lindsay in long drawn out, yet distressed manner.

Lee stared at Lindsay with a stoic expression, at which point the two girls decided to share a brief laugh. This was followed by a period of brief silence, during which time a small sliver of light began to penetrate the heavily overcast sky. Within seconds, a small portion of the grey clouds began to open, revealing a portion of blue sky, while allowing a small amount of sunlight to pass through. The golden rays of the warm sun bathed the entire parking lot; however the bulk of them seemed to be concentrated on Lee and Lindsay.

Both girls proceeded to glance upward in the direction of the sky. As they observed the rays, Lee decided to comment.

"Looks like the sun decided to appear after all," said Lee, "How fitting for such a great victory! All the weather stations said cloud cover all day. Those dumbasses are always wrong."

Lindsay remained completely silent for a few moments, staring up toward the bright rays shining down on her with a radiant smile. As her eyes began to tear up, she decided to utter a few words to herself, in response to her interpretation of the sudden break in cloud cover.

"I love you too Mommy."


	88. Chapter 88

**Authors Note**

 _Hello Everyone! Reissuing due to forgetting to announce a fan poll located on my profile page. In anticipation of the completion of this story, I am seeking some fan feedback._

Thank you.

 **Chapter 88**

An hour had passed since the showdown between the Lindsay and her tormentor. After a few moments of basking in the suns rays, the two girls had mounted Lindsay's scooter, and proceeded to make their way back to the neighborhood with Lindsay in the driver's seat.

The girls spent the last forty five minutes performing an an all to important task; ridding the Statorowski residence of any reminder of Edyta Babik's tenure as a guest. Lindsay had restored her original appearance, allowing her blonde hair to hang loose while donning her mother's coat, signature hoop earrings, and brown high heeled leather boots. After parking the scooter in the garage, the girls made their way to the junkyard, borrowing a heavy duty moving cart from the proprietor. After returning to the Statorowski residence with the cart in tow, the girls proceeded to gather what little Edyta had in terms of belongings, place them in trash bags, and throw the bags onto the cart.

After cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, the girls wheeled the cart back to the junkyard. With five swift tosses, the bags disappeared into a large dumpster, and the last remaining evidence of Edyta Babik's existence had vanished.

"Well, there's the last of it," said Lee, "You're a free woman Liz."

"Not yet," said Lindsay, "There's still one more thing to address."

At that moment, Lindsay retrieved a blue pen from within the pockets of her fur coat. She held the writing utensil up in full view of Lee, clicking the top as she did so.

"I'm sure my dad will notice that Edyta is gone, along with her stuff," said Lindsay, "It's time to lie to him for the final time in my life, and while I hate doing it, it's needed to protect his emotional state. I mean, like, I can't tell him that I had a borderline fight to the death with the housemate he thought was making me happy because she was torturing me and threatening to kill him. He's already so hurt from losing my mom, and even though it wasn't his fault, he'd blame it all on himself that I was in harms way, and sink even lower. I'm not gonna let that happen, it's time to start a positive change."

Lindsay flicked her hair behind her ear.

"Now I just have to hope I can imitate her handwriting well enough to make this work." said Lindsay.

Lee observed the for a few moments, seemingly deep in thought. After around five seconds, the red headed Kanker girl adopted a sly grin.

"Liz, hand me the pen and a sample of the bitches handwriting," said Lee, "You focus on cleaning the house, and I'll bring ya back a quality letter."

"Wait what?" asked Lindsay.

"Trust me, I know just the guy for the job," said Lee as she began walking in the direction of the cul-de-sac, "Meet ya back at Stat central in fifteen minutes."

Lindsay sighed.

"Something new up your sleeve as always huh LeeLee?" asked Lindsay as she flipped her makeup mirror to the open position for an adjustment, "Fine, just please be back soon, I don't know when my dad is going to be home."

"You got it!" yelled Lee as she turned to begin her journey back to Rethink Avenue.

Back in the Kanker residence, Chuck and Tabby had managed to regain control of their intense emotions, spurred on by the sadness surrounding the unexpected death of their wife and best friend, respectively. Chuck had expressed his feelings via tears for fifteen minutes straight, tears that had been kept in for the sake of not showing weakness (due to his "manly" persona), as well as to prevent upsetting his daughter. Despite all of her attempts to hold herself together, Tabby could not help but cry herself, due to her own feelings for Tiffany as well as witnessing Chuck's continuous morning of the love of his life.

In time, Chuck had managed to regain control of himself, drying his tears while glancing in the opposite direction of Tabby. Without saying a word, nor mentioning his emotional outpour, Tabby rose from the couch, grabbed his and her mug, and headed to the kitchen for a refill.

As Tabby headed towards the kitchen, she decided to attempt to lighten the mood with some Christmas music. On her way out of the living room, Tabby used the remote control to flick on the television; however, instead of being tuned to the Christmas music channel, the cable box was tuned to the local news station, due to Rod attempting to view the weather prior to leaving that morning.

On the television, a news reporter had taken up post outside of a delapitated house located somewhere within Peach Creeks parent city. The reporter was a distinguished, middle aged African American man with a neatly trimmed mustache, and finely pressed suit. As Tabby poured coffee into her and Chuck's mugs, she listened as the man wrapped up his report.

 _Just around fifteen minutes ago, police raided the house behind me, and made quite the gruesome discovery; a body, burned, and mutilated beyond belief to the point of being unidentifiable, aside from the fact that she was a woman in her thirties. The death was apparently connected to major prostitution ring, which had been under observation by police for the last year, but had remained elusive until today. The action cam was there as police hauled off several suspects who had ties to the ring, who are believed to have been responsible for several unsolved murders that had occurred over the last twenty years. Police believe that many of those who fell victim to these underground and elusive criminals will finally receive justice. Back to you Jim._

 _(The camera returns to the news room, focusing on an older gray-haired anchor man, sporting a mustache)_

 _Thanks Rick...in other news, Saint Nick is set to arrive tonight, and children all around the city of..._

The words of the anchorman were cut off as Tabby returned to the living room and used the remote control to switch the network to the Christmas music channel. As the sound of the classic Christmas tune Jingle Bell Rock played softly in the background, Tabby turned to find Chuck clutching another photograph in his hand, observing it intently as he rested his elbows on his knees.

"What ya got there Chuckie?" asked Tabby as she placed the newly refilled coffee mugs back onto the table.

"Just a picture of some hoodlums!" said Chuck in a playful manner as he held the picture towards Tabby.

The red headed woman once again took her place on the couch as she laid eyes on the photograph in question. This particular photograph was a group picture, depicting seven teenagers standing on what appeared to be gymnasium bleachers. In the center of the photograph stood a high school aged Tabby, a slightly overweight girl wearing a pink sundress, smiling as her red locks hung from her shoulders. To her right stood Rodeeia, an African-American girl roughly the same height as Tabby, with shoulder length braids. She smiled as she placed her left arm around Tabby's shoulder. She clutched a basketball under her right arm, the ball blending with the color of her basketball uniform, depicting the number 3.

To Tabby's right stood Chuck's goofy friend Zack, a tall and skinny boy with spiky hair. He wore a yellow long sleeved shirt under a black short sleeve shirt , in addition to a pair of blue jeans. The boy was currently using his right hand to form "bunny ears" behind Tabby's head, unbeknownst to her. Sitting on Zacks shoulders was another red-headed girl, the hue of which was the same color as Tabby's; in lieu of loose curls, her hair was tied into a ponytail. Her eyes were concealed by a pair of white designer sunglasses, as she stuck out her tongue while holding both hands outward in a "rock star salute; a typical eccentric mannerism of Kate Kanker.

Finally to Zack's left stood Chuck; a diminutive, baby-faced teenager, quite skinny in contrast to his current muscular build. As typical throughout high school, Chuck had donned his signature white lab coat, most likely due to him being forced to take a short break from his experiments to pose for a picture with his friends. The boy appeared quite distressed, for while an Erlenmeyer flask remained gripped tightly in his left hand, a soda that had been clutched in his left seemed have fallen from his hand just before the picture was taken.

Finally to his left, the tall and skinny Tiffany had taken her place on the bleachers, sitting down to mask her height, while crossing her right leg over her left. The girl was also wearing a basketball uniform, similar to Rodeeia's, (Tiffany's displaying the number 13). Her blonde hair was tied back in a tight ponytail, and she had replaced her glasses with contact lenses. She was currently giggling heavily, her hand placed over her mouth in an attempt to hide her amusement at her boyfriends "cute clumsiness"

Chuck giggled.

"Look at me there," said Chuck as he gazed upon the photograph with a slight smile, "That's before I threw away the razor and started working out with Zack when he was training for the Navy."

Tabby giggled as Chuck moved his hand over top of the portion of the picture containing Tiffany. His eyes watered slightly has he gently touched his hand to her face.

"There's my Tiffany," said Chuck, "Having a good old time laughing at my inevitable clumsiness."

Chuck stared at the photograph for a few more seconds, focusing on Tiffany's blue eyes; staring lovingly at Chuck and seeming to sparkle as she giggled.

"Those Bette Davis Eyes," said Chuck quietly to himself as he smiled.

After a few moments, Chuck panned his eyes to the right side of the photograph. His smile turned to a neutral expression as he came across another familiar face. To the far right was a petite girl with brunette hair, parted into two loose hanging ponytails. She wore a gray winter coat, blue jeans, and black winter boots as she stood with her right hand on her hip. The girls face was heavily made up, her red lipstick standing out against her pale skin, as she displayed a slight smile.

"There's Dyt," said Chuck, "Back when she had her hair long."

Tabby seemed to shudder slightly at the sound of Edyta's name; however, the woman quickly got a hold of herself as she leaned towards Chuck to observe the picture.

"Yeah," said Tabby, "That's her."

Chuck nodded, after which he sighed.

"About ten years ago, Edyta showed up at my doorstep," said Chuck, "It was the first time I saw her since Tiff passed."

Chuck turned towards Tabby.

"She was homeless," said Chuck, "She always prided herself on beauty and keeping herself together, but she looked like she'd been living on the streets for the last few months. She was desperate for housing and said that I was the only one she could turn to. She apologized for everything she did in high school, and said due to struggling on the streets, she realized the error of her ways. I hated the idea of living with another woman besides Tiff, but I kept thinking to myself, "What would Tiff do?"...she never gave up on anyone, and would give a stranger the shirt off of her back. That, along with the fact that I was powerless to help Tiffany with "womanly things" helped me reluctantly make the decision to take her in for a a few months, with the promise that we do not share any bedrooms or living space."

Chuck paused.

"If I knew you lived so close or had your number I would have called you," said Chuck, "I guess she couldn't get in contact with you either. I don't know what happened between you two, or why you two lost touch but I couldnt just let her suffer like that. You undestand, right?"

Tabby sighed as she ignited a cigarette.

"Chuck, you have to be one of the most caring and big hearted men I know," said Tabby, "You've been that way, ever since we were kids. It was part of the reason Tiffany fell for ya. You were the only boy that wasn't afraid of the "O'Leary Giantess" and saw her as a person instead of some kind of legend. You warmed everyone up to her, and allowed her to finally come outside without feeling ashamed."

Tabby took a draw of her cigarette, as she turned slightly away from Chuck while lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished." said Tabby, "It's a shame."

Chuck twiddled his thumbs for a few moments, at which point he decided to continue

"While I really hate saying this," said Chuck, "I have to admit she over stayed her welcome. She still lives with us, but at this point I hardly ever see her. She spends almost every night hanging out with friends, coming home only to sleep and sometimes eat. She still offers to cook dinner, all kinds of foreign food just like my mom, and leaves it in the refrigerator prior to going out."

Chuck turned towards Tabby.

"To be honest," said Chuck with a smile, "I love all kinds of Polish food, but Edyta sucks at making it. Keep this between you and me, I sometimes catch Tiffany throwing away the food containers she made, and secretly making her own version. She doesn't realize I know, but every time I catch her I cheer in secret, because Tiffany's recipes taste just like my moms, not like the bland junk that Edyta makes. Even when I don't catch her, I can tell when she makes it, it's great!"

Chuck giggled for a few moments, after which he continued.

"While she does do a lot with Tiffany, I get the feeling that she doesn't really go for Edyta," said Chuck, "It's been way too long, and I want it to go back to just me and my little scout. I'm thinking about asking her to leave but I don't know how...no offense."

Tabby suddenly perked up.

"Just tell her to get the hell out," said Tabby, "It's your house after all!"

"I know," said Chuck, "It's just I don't have the heart to just kick her to the curb, and besides she gets mail at the house, so I'd have to go through all kinds of crazy paperwork to get actually get her evicted."

At that point Tabby's calm face turned to one of determination. Chuck's words seemed to trip a proverbial switch within Tabby's psyche. The knowledge of what Edyta was truly capable of, along with the knowledge of Chuck's fragile emotional state, had caused a proverbial tug-of-war within the redheads mind. For years, she had been tortured by the knowledge of Edyta living in the same house as her best friend's daughter, but felt powerless to be able to stop it.

It was at that moment that Tabby decided to make an important decision, a choice between the lesser of two evils.

"Chuck," said Tabby, "There's something you should know about Edyta."

"What's that?" asked Chuck.

"I know..." said Tabby, "Ya see...after Tiff passed...we had to..."

Chuck watched with confusion as Tabby attempted to find the correct words.

"Alright enough of that, I might as well be blunt" said Tabby, "You need to get rid of Edyta ASAP, she's unsta..."

Tabby was unable to complete her sentence, for she was interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming open.

"Mom, I'm home!" said Lee as she entered the house with a smile. She was of course accompanied by Lindsay, who had entered the threshold directly after, smiling from ear to ear as she closed the door behind her.

Of course, both girls were met with complete surprise as they turned toward the couch to see Chuck and Tabby sitting together with smiles.

"Daddy!?" asked Lindsay, "What are you doing here, I thought you went to visit an old friend for a few hours?"

"I did Scout," said Chuck, "Funny story, turns out Annalee's mother was Mommy's best friend from childhood and by proxy a friend of mine as well! We grew up together, isn't that an awesome coincidence?"

Lee and Lindsay glanced toward each other for a brief instant; Lee delivered a conspicuous wink in her direction, signaling to play along.

"Really?" asked Lindsay, "That's awesome, I guess we were destined to be besties after all!"

Lee and Lindsay shared a giggle as Tabby and Chuck observed with smiles.

"So Scout, what brings you here?" said Chuck, "A thought you and Annalee were out having lunch in the business district?"

"The restaurant was closed, we forgot it was Christmas Eve," said Lindsay, "Annalee decided to invite me back to her house, and we were going to have lunch here."

At that point, Lee nudged Lindsay in a discrete manner, as if signaling her to perform an action. Lindsay responded by sighing, while simultaneously reaching into her coat pocket and walking towards Chuck.

"Daddy," said Lindsay, "While we were getting ready to leave for Annalee's house, I found this note sitting on the kitchen counter. It's from Edyta, she says her grandmother is very sick, and she had to head back to Poland first thing this morning to take care of her. I checked around the house, all of her stuff is gone. She isn't coming back, she's found a place to stay in Poland and plans to restart her life in Europe where she grew up. She wanted to thank me and you for allowing her to stay with us, and wishes us all of the luck in the world in our life together. Here give it a read."

Tabby watched with complete shock and confusion as Lindsay handed Chuck a small piece of stationary. Sure enough, the letter depicted Edyta's handwriting (actually an exact facsimile of the woman's hand writing), outlining a bogus story regarding Edyta's sudden disappearance and an explanation for her absence moving forward.

"I'm glad to hear she finally got herself together," said Lindsay, "I have to admit, it will be nice to finally be able to just be us again after ten years."

Lindsay giggled as Chuck glanced upon her with a smile. The short man proceeded to refold the letter as he rose from the couch, making his way over to his daughter. As he stared upward into her eyes, he decided to respond.

"Me too Tiffany," said Chuck, "When I saw you gravitate towards makeup and fashion, I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to nurture your hobbies. I did the foolish thing by trying to provide you with a female role model, at the expense our daddy-daughter dynamic. Turns out you didn't need it at all, because not only were you always three steps ahead of Edyta when it came to cosmetology, you have all of the beautiful traits that your mother had. Compassion, determination, grit, you got it all kid, and I'm proud to call you my daughter."

Chuck placed his hand on Lindsay shoulder.

"From now own, we're doing it as it was meant to be," said Chuck, "Just you and me, with Mommy watching over us from heaven."

A few moments passed, at which point Lindsay's bottom lip began to tremble. Suddenly, the tall skinny girl lunged forward, grabbing Chuck in a tight squeeze as tears began streaming down her face.

"Daddy I love you," said Lindsay in a frantic manner as she squeezed Chuck with all of her might, "You are the best Dad in the world and I'm so happy that it's just going to be us again. We can finally do things together again, I'll hand you tools when you fix your motorcycle, I'll go fishing with you even though fish are gross, I'll help balance your companies finances..."

"Whoa there Scout!" said Chuck, struggling to get his words out as he was being constricted, "Of course we can start doing things together, but not if I'm squeezed to death. That death grip is yet another one of your mothers traits."

Lindsay released Chuck from her tight squeeze; Opting for a more traditional hug, she placed her hands gently around Chuck's back as she leaned down to place her head on his shoulder. Chuck responded by placing his hands around Lindsay, holding her in a tight embrace as he patted his daughters back, smiling as he did so.

As Lee observed the father-daughter interaction with a smile, Tabby rose up from the couch. The heavy set woman made her way towards her eldest daughter with an expression of determination, leaning towards her ear as she to posed a question in the whisper register.

"Alright," said Tabby, "Spill it, where were you last night and this morning."

"Making a problem go away," said Lee, "You'd be proud, I showed Lindsay how to handle things Kanker style."

Tabby pulled away from Lee, positioning herself to be able to look her daughter in the eye. As her eyes began to water, Tabby placed her hand on Lee's shoulder.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again," said Tabby, "You're an angel on this earth."

Tabby released Lee and proceeded to make her way towards the dining room, leaving Lee with a rare genuine smile. As Tabby breached the threshold to the dining room, she glanced towards the ceiling, uttering a few words to herself.

"They did it Tiff," said Tabby, "Our girls are back together, and your baby is finally free!"

Back out in the living room, Lindsay had finally regained control of herself. She pulled away from her father and, after spending a few moments adjusting her makeup, turned back towards her father with a smile.

"Oh yeah, guess what Daddy!" said Lindsay, "Annalee invited us to her Christmas Eve party tonight, you wanna go?"

"Gee, I don't know," said Chuck, "I don't want to impose..."

"Cut the crap Chuck!" yelled Tabby from the kitchen, "Don't be a tool and come to the party. I'll introduce you to my husband, my other daughters, and the rest of our friends from the block, it will be fun."

"Yeah Mr. Statorowski," said Lee, "Don't be a wet blanket."

"C'mon Daddy!" said Lindsay, "You always are in that garage turning wrenches or building your nerdy Star Wars stuff. Let's get out of the house and enjoy ourselves you party pooper!"

At that point all three women began simultaneously chanting the same word repetitively.

PARTY...PARTY...PARTY...PARTY.

"Alright," said Chuck, "I'll go!"

At that point, Lee and Lindsay grabbed each others hands and began jumping up and down as they cheered in an excited manner. They're excitement was short lived however, as Chuck had one more thing to say.

"Provided that Tiffany makes some of her famous Duck Blood Soup to bring with to the party!"

Lindsay stared at her father in silence, surprised that he knew that she had been making his favorite meal habitually for the last few months. Chuck simply smiled, delivering an explanation as he did so.

"Now that Edyta's gone, I have no reason to hide the fact that you were the superior cook!" said Chuck, after which he began giggling.

Lindsay delivered Chuck a playful slap on the arm, at which point Lee and Tabby joined in on the fun. After a few moments, the fun died down, and Chuck decided that it was time for he and Lindsay to take their leave.

"Alright, we better go get ready for the party," said Chuck, "But first we have to make a little pit stop."

"What's that?" asked Lindsay.

"It's been a while since we visited Mommy," said Chuck, "I know it's hard for both of us, but I think it's long overdue. I learned it's not good to bottle up our feelings, and I know you miss her just as much as I do. We'll stop and pick up some of her favorite flowers, and go wish her a Merry Christmas. Then we can pick up the ingredients for your soup...sound like a plan?"

Lindsay smiled.

"It's an awesome plan," said Lindsay.

"Cool," said Chuck, "Alright Tabb, Annalee, I'll see you two tonight at seven."

"Don't be late," said Tabby, "Santa arrives at 7:30!"

Lee and Lindsay shared their "best friends forever" promise with a smile, at which point the Statorowskis took their leave. The father-daughter duo happily walked down the Kankers gravel path, on their way back to their house and their brand new life together.


	89. Chapter 89

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello everyone! Just a friendly reminder to please take a look at my profile and cast your vote in the poll I've created regarding my future work related to EEnE._

 _The poll closes Saturday 00:00 EST._

 _Thanks for any input you guys have!_

 _Here the next chapter._

 **Chapter 89**

It was now 6:45 p.m.; night had befallen the town of Peach Creek over an hour ago, and with it the spirit of Christmas Eve seemed to kick into high gear. All of the homes around the town were lit up; yellow daisy chained Christmas lights adorned their eaves in various patterns, as other lawn decorations glimmered in the likeness of Santa Claus and other famous holiday figures.

Of course, Rethink avenue was no exception. The large fir tree that was collectively decorated by its residence was fully lit, shining brightly as the centerpiece of the blocks light display. Along with the center tree, each and every lawn gleamed with the holiday spirit, literally and figuratively; so bright in fact that the amplitude of the holiday lighting seemed to eclipse the cream-colored glow of the street lamps.

Ed, Edd and Eddy had just emerged from the Van Bartonschmeer residence, each carrying a stack of five boxes containing the families signature sugar cookies. For the occasion, each of the Kanker girls had purchased six "ugly Christmas sweaters", three for the girls themselves, and a matching set for their men to wear. Accordingly, Ed has donned a blue sweater, depicting a male snowman meant to match a similar one to be worn by May tonight. Double Dee had opted to wear a sweater of his own, red in color; his however was much more technologically advanced than the ones. It depicted the words happy holidays in gold lettering, with embedded sound activated fiber optic lights that would initiate a chase sequence around the letters. For Eddy, Lee had purchased Eddy a thick green turtleneck sweater, decorated with gold lettering and various patches depicting Santa Claus and his reindeer. The small boy appeared quite unamused with his attire, maintaining a stoic scowl as he carried the boxes around the cul-de-sac with his friends.

As the boys passed Jimmy's house, on their way to the Kanker residence, Double Dee decided to initiate a conversation.

"Well gentlemen, it appears the big night has finally arrived," said Double Dee, "What joy! A party at our beautiful ladies house, serving as a welcome reminder of the love shared among our beloved cul-de-sac."

"All's I know is that these cookies better taste good given all this work we have to do to get them to the party," said Eddy, "How the hell did we wind up becoming cookie delivery boys anyway?"

"Due to Julia's inevitable forgetfulness, she had to make a quick trip to the convenience store to acquire a pack of utensils," said Double Dee, "Marie had requested my assistance in delivering the cookies to the house in her absence, and mathematically speaking three times the person power means three times the work. It was only natural for me to request assistance from my two best friends."

"Whatever," said Eddy as he performed a neck roll, attempting to quell a serious itch brought on by the wool turtle neck, "I can't wait to get this thing off, this wool is driving me nuts!"

"Come now Eddy," said Double Dee, "Lee handpicked that sweater just for you, I'm sure you can bear the inevitable itch for the sake of making Lee happy. If last night is any indication, you have proven yourself to be quite the romantic!"

Double Dee giggled as Eddy groaned under his breath.

"Hey chicks like getting dressed up!" said Eddy, obviously raising his emotional guard, "I figured it was the right thing to do."

"Whatever you say Eddy," said Double Dee, at which point he turned towards Ed, "Why Ed, you've been awfully quiet tonight, quite unusual for you around the holiday season. May I ask what's on your mind?"

"Double Dee, what's a Poland?" asked Ed.

"Poland is a beautiful European country, located between Germany and Belarus," said Double Dee, "Population 38.43 million I believe."

"Oh, okay!" said Ed, "That must be where Santa Claus is from, Chuck has been such a good little boy. Too bad somebody's grandma is sick, I hope she feels better."

"Sound like you've been dippin into the egg nog already lumpy," said Eddy,

As the other two Ed boys giggled at their eccentric friends seeming absent mindedness, they had come to the gravel pathway leading up to the Kankers house. The boys made their way up the winding path, admiring the bright decorations peppered throughout the lawn, as well as the flashing multicolored lights adorning the house. The boys approached the wooden door, decorated with an ornate wreath, at which point Double Dee proceeded to ring the illuminated doorbell button.

Around five seconds passed, at which point the door was answered by May. As planned, she had donned a blue sweater, completely matching the pattern of Ed's. The standard blue bows that typically held her two ponytails in place were gone, replaced with shiny silver ones adorned with white snowflakes.

"Well it's about time, all of your families beat you here!" said May in an exuberant manner, her adenoidal inflections most prominent, "Come on in guys, everyone's downstairs we've been waiting for you!"

May proceeded to reposition herself to the left of the doorway, smiling as she signaled the boys to enter. Without hesitation, Ed, Eddy and Double Dee entered, greeting May with smiles of their own as they carried their boxes of cookies to the snack table.

Sure enough, the Christmas party was in full swing. All of the adults of the cul-de-sac had gathered within the living level, spread out between the living room, dining room, and kitchen. In addition, a large portion of the crowd also consisted of the Lonergan family. All of Rods brothers and sisters were happily conversing as well, as their young children horseplayed in the living room, rough housing and otherwise frolicking as all young children typically did at parties. Of course Sarah and Jimmy were among these children, both quickly making friends with the Kanker sisters younger cousins. Rods elderly mother had taken a seat in one of the living room arm chairs, sipping a cup of tea as she conversed exuberantly with Rolf's Nana, the only other woman present who was within her age group. While Nana was not the best when it came to English, the two never-the-less bonded over common ground involving culinary arts (including tips on butchering various farm animals and cultural recipes)

Rod himself stood near the dining room table, leaning his arm on the China hitch as he conversed with Mr. Van Bartonschmeer, Ed's father and Eddy's father. Tabby was in the process of reigniting one of the buffet burners, beings assisted by Ed mother, Jimmy's mother, and Rods sister as classic Christmas tunes played softly in the background.

As promised, the three boys dropped the Van Bartonschmeers cookies off on the buffet table, greeting various adults guests as they did so, at which point May directed them towards the stairs leading to the lower level. All of the teenagers had gathered down in the Kankers den, throwing a proverbial "sub party" just for their age group.

As the boys entered the den, all of their friends came into view. Kevin and Rolf were in the midst of a conversation on the far side of the room; while Kevin appeared to be happily telling a few jokes as he cradled a red cup of soda in his hand, Rolf seemed to be less than amused. The lanky boy simply stared forward, his face adorned with a melancholy expression, still apparently hurt over the loss of his "Sweet Babushka". On the small love seat, (that also served the purpose of a pull out bed) sat Jonny and Nazz, immersed in an exuberant conversation of their own; Nazz giggled slightly as Jonny seemed to speak a mile of minute, telling a nonsensical, exaggerated story regarding his day.

The two oldest Kanker sisters, Lee and Marie had taken up post near the far wall. The girls had retrieved a wooden fold up table from the closet, and had set it up in the corner of the room adjacent to the computer. They had dropped a red and green table cloth over the wooden surface, and populated the table with several bowls, containing cheese curls, chips, pretzels and other snacks. In addition, they had just completed filling a large blue cooler with ice, an assortment of soft drinks, and bottles of water; and had placed it underneath the table within easy reach of their guests.

May led the three Ed boys towards her two older sisters (who's backs were turned to the area of the basement stairs) playfully tapping them on the shoulder as she smiled.

"Hey," said May, "Look who finally decided to show up!"

At the sound of Mays voice, both girls immediately turned around; their neutral expressions turning to smiles.

"Hiya Boys!" said both girls simultaneously in their usual flirty manner.

"Greetings girls!" said Double Dee, "How are you two doing on this wonderful evening?"

"Great," said Marie as she walked towards Double Dee, wrapping her arms around her neck as she kicked her left leg backwards, "It is our first Christmas after all, so how could I not be happy?"

From a few feet away, Lee watched as Marie leaned her face towards Double Dee's eventually touching her lips to his for a few seconds. She then turned her attention towards May and Ed, who had found their way to the snack table. The couple was currently shoving various snack foods into each others mouths, not unlike a bride and groom would do with their cake during the reception.

As Eddy took his place next to his redheaded girlfriend, Lee decided to initiate a conversation.

"Well there they go," said Lee, "Youse haven't even been here five minutes, but Marie's already making out with her boyfriend and May and Ed are turning our snack display into low tide at the pier."

"Yeah," said Eddy, "Lumpy and May are perfect for each other, and for being such a nervous nelly Sockhead doesn't seem to mind public displays of affection."

"That's a Marie thing," said Lee, "Ever since they started dating she can't resist trying to eat his face every chance she gets."

The two teenagers shared a laugh, at which point Eddy decided to play a joke of his own.

"So, where's my kiss babe?" asked Eddy.

"You'll get it when I feel like giving it," said Lee with an angry inflection.

Lee's response seemed to illicit a sense of sadness in the small Ed boy who, despite dating Lee for months, could not grasp her somewhat dry sense of humor. Accordingly, he turned away from his girlfriend, staring forward with a melancholy expression. He was quickly roused from his thoughts by Lee, who delivered a playful nudge to Eddy's arm. The boy turned toward Lee's direction, at which point she suddenly removed a piece of mistletoe from her pocket and placed it over Eddy's head, smiling down into his eyes as she did so. Eddy simply smiled, and leaned upwards to deliver Lee a quick kiss on the lips.

As Eddy and Lee completed their kiss, Double Dee, Marie, Ed and May rejoined Eddy and Lee in conversation. After a few more moments of jovial banter, Lee decided that it was time to bring up the surprise she had in store for all of her friends.

"Alright you morons," said Lee, "Just to let yas know, I got a special guest that's gonna be joining us tonight for this shindig."

"A special guest?" asked Double Dee.

"Yeah," said Lee, "A friend of mine from school, and I expect you all to make her feel welcome and special."

"Yeah right," said Marie sarcastically, "What the hell are you trying to pull, you don't have any friends at school besides us Ms. Resting Bitch Face."

"Oh I'm serious," said Lee, "I hope you like surprises!"

"I for one think it's wonderful that Lee has graciously invited a friend of hers to this lovely party," said Double Dee, "I most certainly look forward to meeting this guest, and welcoming them into our circle of loving friends."

At that point, in a speak of the devil like manner, the sound of the Kankers doorbell filled the air, indicating that a guest had arrived at the front door.

"That's her now!" said Lee with a smile, "I'll go get her, be back down soon!"

The remaining group of five watched as Lee exuberantly climbed the stairs, her heels clicking rapidly on each tread as she did so. There was a slight period of silence as the group each contemplated Lee's rather uncharacteristic display of bliss, something usually kept hidden by the rather stoic girl.

"What the hell was that about?" asked Marie, "All of the sudden Lee's making new friends."

"Yeah," said May, "She seems very happy tonight too, I haven't seen her smile like that in years!"

"I will admit, overwhelming general bliss is not a characteristic typically exemplified by Lee," said Double Dee, "However, while strange and unexpected, I highly doubt that being exuberant, especially around the holiday season, could be considered a terrible thing."

"I guess," said Marie, "Oh well, nothing to do but wait until Reds gets back down here. Who wants sodas?"

At that point Marie proceeded to make her way to the cooler, where she retrieved canned sodas for all of her friends. While she, Double Dee, Ed and May conversed happily, seeming to put Lee's demeanor out of their mind for the time being, Eddy remained fixated on the stairs, displaying an expression of curiosity.

As these events unfolded on the lower two levels, an entirely different scenario played out on the upper level. Within the Kankers parents bedroom, Rod had retrieved the Santa Claus costume (which he intended to wear as entertainment for the young children per Kanker-Lonergan tradition) from it's carrying bag and had laid it out on the king sized bed in preparation for changing into it. It's neatly pressed wine red satin folds shined under the the light emitted from the ceiling fan mounted fixture, and it's white trim appeared as soft a rabbits fur.

After admiring the suit for a few moments, Rod proceeded to slide the red pants over his legs. He then donned the signature red fur coat, slipping his arms into the sleeves, and connecting the two half of the zipper at the bottom end in preparation for closing the fastener. However, upon attempting to raise the zipper, Rod ran into a slight problem; a combination of not being used for years and interference from the white trim caused the zipper to bind, preventing the man from fully closing the suit, while simultaneously preventing him from removing it.

As Rod attempted to free the zipper, a small rap sounded at the bedroom door. In an instant Tabby slowly opened the door and, after ensuring Rod was decent, opened it fully to allow herself entry.

"Hey Santa," said Tabby as she closed the door, "All of the guests are here, ready to make your grand entrance?"

"As soon as I can get dressed I'll be ready" said Rod, "Having a bit of trouble with this zipper, the fabric keeps getting caught."

"Do you need me to get Annalee?" asked Tabby, "She could probably fix it."

"No let her spend time with her friends," said Rod, "Besides even though she's almost sixteen, I want to see the surprise on her face when Santa walks in the front door on Christmas Eve just like he did when she was five."

"Alright then," said Tabby, "Let me know if you need any help, when you are ready sneak out the back and ring the front doorbell, we'll be waiting."

Tabby delivered Rod a long drawn out kiss on the cheek, at which point she made her way towards the door. The two adults shared a loving smile as Tabby took her leave, leaving Rod to continue working on the costume.


	90. Chapter 90

**Authors Note:**

 _Hello everyone!_

 _First of all, I want to apologize for the short length of this chapter. I've found myself with another "super chapter" that I needed to divide up to stay consistent with the remainder of the story. The next one should be out shortly._

 _In addition, a_ _s you all know, the poll requesting assistance in prioritizing my next Ed, Edd n' Eddy work has closed. Those who view my YouTube LP's already got the word of the result (just one of the perks of viewing my other generated media, you may find surprises in there, so subscribe!). As it turns out we have a tie between "A Halloween short story" and "There's no Place like Ed."_

 _Accordingly, I have decided to drop the hammer and make the decision between the two. That being said, the next project I will be working on concerning Ed, Edd n' Eddy is..._

 _"A Halloween Themed Short Story Taking Place After Miracles and Mistletoes"_

 _Without further ado, here's the next!_

 **Chapter 90**

After ensuring Rod's well being regarding his assimilation into the Santa Claus role, Tabby descended to the stairs to continue with her task of restocking the snack table. The red headed woman had obtained a large tray of cookies from the kitchen, and was in the process of turning away from the counter to begin her trek back to the dining room.

At the same time, Lee had excitedly made her way up the stairs to the living area. Due to the layout of the house, the basement stairs exited into the kitchen, requiring Lee to navigate the area to gain access to the living room. As Tabby turned with the tray of cookies, she was met with quite the surprise; a near miss with the rapidly moving Lee.

As Tabby emitted a proverbial, _"oh shit"_ , while pulling the cookies away at the last minute, Lee turned quickly to announce an apology with a smile.

"Sorry, mom!" said Lee, "Those look really good by the way, I'll have some when I get back."

Tabby simply shook her head as she watched her daughter practically jog to the front door. As she continued on the way to the dining room, carrying the tray of cookies in her hands, she uttered a few words to herself.

"I'll be damned," said Tabby, "Real smiles and excitement, I haven't seen that in ten years."

Lee continued on her way, weaving through the crowds as she did so, and eventually reached the front door. With a wide-eyed smile, the slim red-head proceeded to open the door.

As expected, Lindsay and her father Chuck came into view as the panel reached the fully open position. Lindsay had not altered her attire in any way, and appeared dressed as she usually did; however, Chuck had opted to don a red button downed shirt with a green Christmas themed tie. In his hands, the diminutive mustached man cradled a large crock pot, containing a healthy helping of Lindsay's Duck Blood soup as his offering to the party.

"Liz!" said Lee in an excited manner as she reached out to deliver her friend a hug.

"LeeLee!" replied Lindsay as she returned the hug.

"Glad to see youse guys made it!" said Lee as she pulled away, "Come on in, it's cold out there!"

Lindsay made her way into the warm interior of the Kankers house, her eyes widening with excitement at the sight of all of their friends an family, merrily telling jokes as the table mounted model trains made their way around the tracks to Christmas music. While Lindsay provided the general appearance of a boisterous and confident individual, she was quite shy around new individuals and appeared alarmed at her surrounding. Likewise, the nerdy and socially awkward Chuck appeared bewildered as well, displaying a nervous expression as he closed the door behind him.

Tabby, taking notice that Chuck and Lindsay had arrived made her way towards the door with a smile.

"Diggin' the tie Chuck," said Tabby, "But loosen that thing up, it's a Christmas party not a day at the office."

"I tried to tell him," said Lindsay as she flicked her hair over her shoulder, "But if he hasn't learned to listen to my fashion advice by now, he's just gonna have to go through life looking like a dork."

Lindsay giggled slightly.

"It's my testament to the holiday spirit!" yelled Chuck playfully, as he pointed to Lee's sweater "Look at Annalee, she get's it!"

"Yeah Liz!" said Lee, "Get with the program!"

Tabby, Chuck, and Lee shared a laugh for a few seconds, at which point Lindsay placed both her hands on the center of her mother's coat.

"Surprise!" said Lindsay in a long, drawn-out feminine manner, as she parted the coat to reveal a beautiful wine-red sweater. The sweater was decorated with gold letters, reading MERRY CHRISTMAS in the cursive style. Of course, the article was equipped with long sleeves, to facilitate cover of Lindsay's injured arms; injures that had begun the process of healing for the final time.

"I made it myself last Christmas," said Lindsay as she removed her mother's coat, cradling it in her left arm, "Jokes on you guys, when it comes to fashion, I _am_ the program!"

The four individuals shared another brief laugh at which point Tabby decided to continue.

"Alright," said Tabby as she signaled Chuck to follow her, "Let's get you acquainted with my husbands family and our friends from the block."

Tabby leaned into Chuck's ear, attempting to be discrete.

"My husbands upstairs getting changed into the Santa suit to entertain the kids," whispered Tabby, "He'll be at the door in around five minutes, you'll meet him when he rejoins the party."

Tabby turned and began walking towards the area where Ed, Eddy and Double Dee's father stood, immersed in conversations of their own. Chuck remained standing near the door donning a nervous expression; upon realization the he was not following her, Tabby suddenly whipped around, rolled her eyes, and briskly reproached her friend.

"Jeez Chuck!" said Tabby as she grabbed his wrist, "We don't bite, c'mon don't be a wallflower!"

Tabby wasted no time, and began pulling Chuck in the direction of her friends. As she did so Chuck issued a few final words to his daughter.

"I suppose I have no choice," said Chuck in a playful manner, "Have fun with your friends Little T!"

Lee and Lindsay watched as Tabby brought Chuck to the three Ed boys fathers, and began the process of introducing the two parties. The four men proceeded to shake hands, and began their initial conversation. A few minutes was all it took for Chuck to warm up to his new friends; as Tabby walked away from the group with a smile, Chuck managed to find common ground with all three of his new acquaintances: He and Mr. McGee's shared love of hunting and fishing, He and Double Dee's Father's passion for science, and he and Ed's fathers love of semi-trucks.

After a few moments of observing the adult interactions, Lee carefully placed her hands on Lindsay's coat, and proceeded to take it out of Lindsay's hands.

"I'll put your moms coat up in my closet where it will be safe," said Lee, "Then we'll head downstairs. All of our friends are waiting for us."

Lindsay adopted a nervous expression.

"Are you sure?" asked Lindsay, "I mean, I haven't exactly been the nicest person to any of them over the last few months...everyone probably hates me."

"Hey," said Lee, "Don't worry about a thing, just be you and you'll be fine. I ain't gonna lie, it's gonna be hard to get my two knuckle headed sisters to get with the times, but the rest of em' should be easy. I don't say this a lot, but there are a lot of good people on this cul-de-sac, and I guarantee ya once they see the real you, they'll be fine."

Lee adopted a sly grin.

"Besides," said Lee playfully, "It's nothing a little persuasion can't fix if it comes to that."

Lee held her fist into the air, shaking it slightly, and drawing a slight smile from the nervous Lindsay.

"It will be fine," said Lee as she held her pinky into the air, "I promise."

Lindsay smiled as she locked her pinky with Lee's.

"Well you've been right the first two times," said Lindsay, "I guess I'd be an idiot not to listen to you this time."

"That a girl," said Lee, "Be right back!"

Lee turned and proceeded to make her way up the stairs to her room, intent on placing Lindsay's coat into her closet for safe keeping.


	91. Chapter 91

**Chapter 91**

Downstairs in the Kankers den, the three Ed boys had decided to make their way towards the cooler to retrieve some refreshments. As the boys each retrieved there drink of choice, conversing happily as they did so, Marie and May remained completely focused on the stairs, confused regarding their normally stoic sisters upbeat attitude.

"Well that was weird," said Marie.

"Tell me about it!" said May as she took a bite out of the hotdog she cradled in her left hand, "I ain't seen Lee that happy since...well you know."

"Yeah," said Marie, "I'm not complaining, I would rather see Lee happy than depressed like she was the other day, but making new friends isn't necessarily her style."

Marie sighed.

"Well unfortunately that's the least of my worries," said Marie, "I have to figure out how to explain why Double Dee didn't get a gift from me tomorrow morning."

"You couldn't get it?" asked May, "I thought you had enough?"

"It's not that," said Marie, "The company is back logged, due to them making charitable donations to children who are hospitalized all over the country. At this time it takes priority, as it most definitely should. I just don't want to see my dream boat disappointed...I've done everything I could to try to change his life, God knows I have. It just isn't meant to be..."

"Marie," said May, "I'm sure Double Dee would understand if you explained it to him."

"I know," said Marie, "I just wanted our first Christmas to be special."

Marie wiped away a small tear forming in her exposed eye, after which she turned her attention back to the stairs.

"For now, let's see what kind of surprise Lee has in store for us," said Marie.

May nodded in agreement, and proceeded to take a sip of her soda. A few moments passed, at which point the Ed boys rejoined their girlfriends, promptly engaging in another conversation.

Almost immediately, Lee descended the staircase, planting the sharp heels of her black boots on the ground with two audible thuds. Wasting no time, she decided to introduce her mystery guest using her typical "tough talking" voice.

"Yo guys," said Lee in a stern and authoritative manner, prompting all in the room to glance in the direction of the stairwell, "Guess who decided to stop by."

The entire basement observed as a familiar leather boot slowly extended from behind the wall encasing the stairs. As the expensive pointed heel planted itself on the red carpeted floor, a series of three long fingers (this is supposed to be in Antonnucci style after all) gripped the wooden railing for balance, their normally hot-pink fingernails now painted with a shade of holiday silver.

Although it seemed like an eternity passed for the nervous Lindsay, it took all but three seconds for her to fully emerge from the stairwell. The entire cul-de-sac remained silent as Lindsay took her place next to a giggling Lee, all of them jaws wide open with surprise.

Lindsay scanned her surroundings, observing all nine individuals in sequence. As expected, she was met with varying degrees of facial expressions, ranging from surprise to anger. Seeing no other alternative than an attempt to break the ice, Lindsay lifted her left hand in the air, delivering a feminine wave as a slight shade of red overcame her nervous face.

"Hello everybody," said Lindsay in a sheepish manner, "Merry...Christmas?"

With the exception of the soft sounds of the guests chatting above, and the gentle sound of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" playing in the background, the entire room was completely silent. Lee eventually decided to interject as she rolled her eyes.

"Jesus Christ," said Lee, "Didn't your parents teach ya that when a guest politely greets ya, you're supposed to greet them back?"

"Is this some kind of a joke?" asked Marie in an angry, cackling intonation.

"Check the calendar Little Sister," said Lee, "It's Christmas, not April Fools Day, no jokes here."

"What the hell is _she_ doing in our house, and at our Christmas party at that?" asked Marie in an aggressive manner, "She's an evil, cold-hearted manipulator, she's not welcome here!"

At the sound of Marie's words, Lindsay glanced towards the floor;a disheartened expression appearing on her face as she did so. Lee decided to respond with an explanation.

"Alright tough girl," said Lee, "Wrap that tongue up for a few minutes and let me explain the situation before you jump to conclusions."

Marie reluctantly backed down, folding her arms while relaxing her pelvis in a manner that seemed to indicate annoyance, providing her full and undivided attention to Lee along with everyone else.

"Alright first of all let me come clean with all of youse," said Lee, "With the exception of these two knuckleheads I call sisters, none of ya are privy to the fact that Lindsay and have known each other since kindergarten and have been best friends ever since. Unfortunately, some extenuating circumstances I am not a liberty to discuss put a hamper on our friendship for a few years, but that's all behind us."

Lee placed her arm around Lindsay.

"I know Lindsay got kind of a rough start with you guys, but trust me it ain't her fault," said Lee, "She's a great person at heart, and unless you guys have been living under a rock for the last year, you know I just don't say that about everyone. Lindsay is more than aware that she was pretty much a thorn in all of our sides, but she's willing to make a fresh start, right Liz?"

Lindsay paused for a few seconds, at which point she decided to reply.

"Yes..." said Lindsay in a nervous manner, "I'm sorry everyone for being such a pain. I was living a lie, putting on a charade to appease others because I was too afraid to be myself. Unfortunately, it resulted in many of you being hurt, including my bestie LeeLee. If you guys could ever forgive me, I would really like to start over and get to know you guys as friends."

Still without response from their peers, Lee decided to continue.

"Well said Liz," said Lee as she ran her fingers through her hair with a smile. She then turned back towards her friends with a determined expression.

"All's I ask is that everyone try to put away the past, open up your hearts, and see Lindsay for who she really is," said Lee, "It's Christmas after all right? Peace, goodwill and all that other shit that goes along with it tells us that we should see the good in people, and share peace and love with those willing to exchange it. Doesn't everyone deserve a chance to change their ways? You should embrace it most of all Marie, if Double Dee hadn't given you a chance to show him who you really were, we might not be here celebrating Christmas with our awesome boyfriends, and all of our new friends, right?"

Marie's eyes widened with shock at Lee's bold statement; as much as she hated Lindsay for all she had done, there was no doubt that her older sister, who acted as a second mother, a stabilizing influence, and a moral conscience to her ever since she was a little girl, was right once again. The red heads words seemed to trigger thoughts within the black haired Kankers head, causing her anger to slightly disappear.

In spite of Lee's beautiful soliloquy regarding the holiday spirit, the surprised group elected to remain silent. Lee eventually decided to continue, speaking in a bold manner.

"Look, the bottom line is Lindsay and I are besties, and we plan on hanging out together as much as practically possible," said Lee, "She's here to stay whether you like it or not, so the easiest thing to do is just accept her as our thirteenth friend. I'm sure all of you can find common ground with her, she's got quite the impressive skill set."

Near the snack table, the three Ed boys remained fixated on Lee's position, seemingly paralyzed with surprise as they witnessed the events unfold before them. Of course, Double Dee, being privy to the past shared between Lee and Lindsay, and being the morally conscious person he was, was quite ecstatic regarding the rekindling of the girls friendship. Accordingly, the young man adopted a heartfelt smile, and decided to deliver his thoughts regarding the situation.

However, just as Double Dee opened his mouth to begin speaking, he was beaten to the punch by his diminutive friend.

"I accept!" said Eddy.

Double Dee turned towards his friend with an air of confusion, as did everyone else in the room. The group watched as Eddy took a few steps towards Lee, carrying a red plastic cup full of soda in his right hand.

"I'm with ya babe," said Eddy, "I mean, it's obvious that you're hell bent on making this happen, and if I learned anything from dating ya for the last few months, it's to always let you win!"

"Smart man!" said Lee in a flirty manner, after which she giggled.

"But seriously, obviously being friends with Lindsay makes you happy," said Eddy, "And just like you said a few minutes ago, it's Christmas, a time for forgiveness and...whatever, I ain't good at these types of things. All's I'll say is that I trust your moral judgement, and if you say Lindsay is good people, than I say welcome to the cul-de-sac Lindsay!"

Eddy looked up into Lindsay's eyes with a smile.

"She made the right call by choosing you as a friend!" said Eddy, using a statement he had made a few days ago upon confronting Lindsay regarding her emotional conflict. Lindsay, understanding the inside connection, simply smiled, providing confirmation to the stout Ed boy that his words of wisdom were well received.

"See, I knew I could count on you Sweetie," said Lee as she kneeled down, wrapping her arms around Eddy in a tight manner, "I expected nothing less from the man I lo...look to for all my emotional support."

Lee delivered Eddy a long drawn out kiss on the cheek, causing the Ed boy to blush and smile.

From a distance, Double Dee continued to observe the wonderful events occurring before him. As Eddy rubbed his cheek, the sock headed Ed boy decided to interject with a comment of his own.

"I second Eddy's notion," said Double Dee.

"What?" asked Marie, somewhat surprised at Double Dee's comment.

"I believe wholeheartedly in the spirit of forgiveness," said Double Dee, "And I would like nothing more than to see an additional member added to our colorful cast of characters! After all, the 'conflict', a major component of the traditional story format, would have been non-existent in this fan fiction if Ms. Statorowski did not exist."

Double Dee giggled slightly.

"Lindsay," said Double Dee, "I would be honored if you assimilated into our wonderful peer group, and celebrated the holidays with us."

"Alright," said Lee, "That's two. Anyone else got anything to say?"

"New friend for Ed!" yelled Ed, "We're the three ah-me-goes, and if Lindsay's friends with Eddy and Double Dee, than she's a friend of Ed too!"

"Ed, the proper Spanish pronunciation is amigos," said Double Dee, "But nevertheless, you're point in no less valid."

"If Ed agrees, than so do I!" said May with a smile.

"Seriously?," asked Marie as she turned towards May, "Did you forget about all of the times she made fun of your teeth, or picked on you for being an athlete."

"Me and Ed are a team," said May, "He's a friend to everyone, and even though I treated him bad when we first met he managed to forgive me and eventually become my boyfriend. If that taught me anything, it's to take chances and open up to people. Poppy and Father Sevino always said to have trust and faith in your loved ones, and I trust Lee and Ed."

"I could care less either way," said Kevin as he took a drink of his soda.

"No worries here!" yelled Johnny is his ordinarily exuberant manner.

"Like whatever," said Nazz, "It's not like we have to best friends."

"MY SWEET BABUSHKA!" yelled the voice of Rolf as he suddenly made his way between Johnny and Nazz. The tall boy passed between them at a high rate of speed, parting the teenagers as if he were Moses parting the Red Sea, knocking them backwards and causing them to spill some of their drinks.

"Oh God..." said Lindsay in a quiet manner as she observed Rolf approach at a rapid pace. In an instant, Rolf had grabbed her in a tight squeeze, picking her up while spinning her around the room at what seemed like light speed.

"Rolf is pleased to see his Beautiful Schmetlockin welcomed into Rolf's band of brethren," said Rolf, "Please forgive Rolf for any wrongdoings, and accept his apology and willingness to bring peace with the dance of many joys!"

The entire room observed as Rolf proceeded to spin Lindsay around the Kankers den. He completed five rapid turns, after which point he placed the slightly dizzy Lindsay back onto her feet in a gentle manner. Lee giggled slightly as Lindsay regained her composure, adopting a serious expression as she glanced into Rolf's eyes.

"You don't need to apologize for anything Rolf," said Lindsay, "I used you for my own selfish gain, without even caring one bit about your feelings until it was too late. You are a really sweet guy, and I have to admit the time we spent together was quite fun. Plus, I really appreciated the carving you made of me, nobody has ever taken the time to do that for me before. For all it's worth, it's displayed front and center on the shelf above my bed."

Lindsay took a few more steps towards Rolf.

"But let me be honest," said Lindsay, "I've been through a lot over the past few months, and I need some time to recuperate and get back into the swing of things with my own life. I don't think I'm ready to have a boyfriend yet, but that doesn't mean I won't want to eventually. I would really like to start over with you as a close friend, if that's okay with you.

Rolf appeared slightly disheartened at Lindsay's explanation for a few moments,matter which he managed to muster a slight smile.

"Rolf appreciates your honesty," said Rolf, "There is much honor in that yes. Anyway, Rolf desires a new friend as well and agrees with your proposition."

Rolf turned away from Lindsay, and began making his way back toward the snack table.

"Rolf shall leave you to the throws of the blood haired Kanker sister," said Rolf.

"Hold on," said Lindsay in a demanding yet playful manner, "I didn't say I was done with you yet, did I?"

Rolf turned back towards Lindsay, an expression of confusion on his face.

"Hello," said Lindsay, "Have you forgotten something? I was elected winter ball queen yesterday, but I left before I had the opportunity to share a dance with the boy of my choice."

Lindsay poked Rolf in the chest playfully.

"Well I'm making my choice buddy boy," said Lindsay in a demanding manner, "You owe me a dance to a song of my choice. I expect you to ask me by the end of tonight, take it as your Christmas present to me."

Lindsay's bold proposition managed to draw a slight heartfelt smile from the foreign boy. The two teenagers remained locked in their gaze for a few moments, both smiling dreamily, at which point Lee rolled her eyes while making her way towards them.

"Alright you two," said Lee, "Enough sexual tension for one night, let's break it up and start the party!"

Lindsay, appearing slightly embarrassed, turned away from Rolf and gazed towards the floor while blushing. Rolf turned away as well, making his way back toward the snack table as he happily hummed a folk song from his home country.

Lindsay proceeded to retake her place next to Lee, gazing upon her giggling friend with an expression that seemed to portray playful annoyance. After a few seconds, the sound of an individual uttering a slight "ahem" seemed to emanate from the area of her left side, drawing the tall girls attention away from Lee.

As Lindsay turned head to left, she found herself gazing down into Marie's single exposed green eye. The black haired girl appeared much more calm than she had a few minutes ago, albeit still somewhat annoyed regarding the current situation.

"Let me make one thing clear," said Marie, "I am doing this for Lee, and Lee only. It's going to take a while for me to fully forgive and trust you, given the fact that you verbally tortured me since I was six years old."

"Understood," said Lindsay with an expression of concern, "I know I could never take any of that back, but I'm sorry none the less. I hope one day we can put all of that behind us for good."

Marie lifted her hand towards Lindsay, offering up a handshake.

"For now...truce?" said Marie.

"Truce." said Lindsay as she responded with a handshake.

After a quick handshake, Marie turned away from her former nemesis and began making her way across the room towards Double Dee. She proceeded into the cooler, retrieve a can of soda. After cracking it open, she took her place next to her boyfriend leaning on the table as she observed Lee and Lindsay exchange playful banter.

"Well this is certainly a remarkable turn of events!" said Double Dee in an exuberant manner.

"C'mon Double Dee," said Marie as she turned toward him with a flirty smile, "Don't play dumb, I know you are behind this. You broke your promise to wait until after the holidays and pulled some kind of shenanigan to bring the two back together behind my back."

"I most certainly did not!" said Double Dee, "I can guarantee that I provided absolutely no intervention with regards to this issue."

"Seriously?" asked Marie, "How the hell did this happen? I mean I'm not complaining, I love seeing Lee happy. Seeing those two smiling and laughing together again is like looking into the past, back when we were kindergarteners. I just never thought it would happen out of blue like this."

"Perhaps it's just as you stated at the Christmas parade," said Double Dee, "Trusting in faith and the spirit of the holiday seems to have paid off, as things have finally 'fallen into place', so to speak."

"I suppose," said Marie, "Nothing left to do but to enjoy the party. I'm going to go grab some more cookies, be right back!"

As Marie took her leave, heading towards the stairs leading toward the upper level to retrieve the cookies. Double Dee took his place alongside his oafish friend Ed, and initiated a conversation.

"Well Ed," said Double Dee, "It appears that the spirit of the season is shining on the cul-de-sac after all."

"Yeah," said Ed, attempting to speak around a mouthful of chips, "It's good."

Double Dee sighed.

"Unfortunately, there is still the matter of explaining to Marie that despite my best efforts, I was unable to afford her present." said Double Dee, "After performing some research, I have discovered that even with the unexpected double pay generously provided by Mr. Nicklaus, it is not nearly enough to cover the costs of Marie's surgery."

Ed swallowed his chips, listening to his friends story while simultaneously adopting a melancholy expression.

"I can only hope that she will understand," said Double Dee, "Heaven knows I tried."

Double Dee paused for a few moments, observing Lee and Lindsay conversing exuberantly.

"Nevertheless, I am glad that all of that ugly, nonsensical fighting is now behind us," said Double Dee, "But I can't help but wonder, what could have possibly drove this sudden change in dynamic between the two?"

Ed shrugged his shoulders as he shoved another helping of chips into his mouth, continuing to observe the happy duo alongside his friend. Unbeknownst to Lee and Lindsay, the two had another distant observer. Eddy had taken up post near the corner of the room to retrieve ice from a separate cooler for his drink. He stood with his legs crossed, casually leaning against the wall with a grin as he cradled a red cup in his right hand. The boy proceeded to take a small sip of his drink, at which point he uttered a few words to himself.

"Merry Christmas Lindsay," said Eddy, "And Merry Christmas to you Lee...I love you more than anything babe."

Just as Eddy completed his sentence, the bright sound of the Kankers doorbell, in the tune of "Westminster Quarters" pierced through the house. This was soon followed by the shrill voice of Tabby, echoing from the level above.

"Kids, come on in to the living room, our special guest has arrived!" yelled Tabby, signaling all of the kids on the upper level to gather in the living room. She soon made her way down the stairs to the lower level, and excitedly poked her head around the corner and into the den.

"Girls, gather your friends and come upstairs!" said Tabby, "Santa's here!"

As Tabby took her leave, the teenagers of the cul-de-sac proceeded to follow her upstairs. While most had grown out of their belief in Santa Claus, all were nevertheless excited to share the holiday joy of the jolly mans visit with their friends.


	92. Chapter 92

**Chapter 92**

One by one, the teenagers of the cul-de-sac funneled up the stairs. They proceeded to make their way through the kitchen, and into the living room. Due to the impending arrival of Santa Claus, the modest sized living space was densely populated. All of the Kanker sisters younger cousins, as well as Sarah and Jimmy were gathered around the front door, excitedly anticipating the welcoming of their holiday hero. Accordingly, all of the adults had also gathered within the room, their cell phones, traditional cameras, and camcorders trained in the direction of the door, attempting to obtain home movies of their children's time with Santa Claus.

As the teenagers gathered in various locations around the living room, Tabby excitedly made her way over to the front door. The crowd remained completely silent as she placed her hand on the golden knob, and proceeded to open the door with an audible creek.

As the door swung to an open position, Tabby stepped to the side while simultaneously turning with a smile.

"Santa Claus!" yelled Tabby, "Welcome to our Christmas party, we were expecting you."

Standing on the stoop was man who needed no introduction, nor a description for that matter. Slowly but surely, the stout, plump and jolly figure known as Santa Claus breached the threshold. His satin red hat and suit sparkled under the living room lights, as did his rosy red cheeks and ice blue eyes. His long white beard hung to the area of his chest, providing a contrast to the black belt that surrounded his portly belly. Much to Tabby's surprise, Santa had also brought with him a large red sack, that seemed to contain several presents wrapped in various styles of multi-colored wrapping paper. He carried the sack over his right shoulder, holding on to it with his white-gloved right hand. On the wrist of his left hand was a band, on which jingle bells were mounted, sounding in rhythm as he waved to the crowd upon making his entrance.

"Ho, ho, ho!" yelled Santa in a deep benevolent voice, "Merry Christmas everyone!"

Santa continued to wave, smiling heavily as he made his way towards the Kanker's large arm chair. Smiles adorned all of the children's faces as they cheered, following Santa towards the chair and taking their seats in front. The teenagers of Rethink avenue observed from afar, all displaying joyous expressions as they did so; Ed and May appeared quite giddy, both clasping their hands in front of them as they smiled. Marie leaned her head on Double Dees shoulder, holding his hand as she too radiated with joy. Lastly, Lee had taken Eddy's hand in hers, gently massaging the side of it with her thumb as she observed her family celebrate.

"Alright everyone!" said Tabby, "As usual everyone no matter how old gets a turn, but per tradition it's youngest to oldest! Looks like Thomas is up first!"

Following Tabby's declaration, her small nieces and nephews proceeded to take their place one-by-one on Santa's lap in order of their ages: Thomas, Darryl, Lilly, Dean, Melissa, David, Lisa, Jay, and Joseph. Alongside their children, many of Rods brothers and sisters took their place on Santa's lap as well for family pictures. Finally, as each child left Santa's lap, he presented them with a small gift from his large red sack, which were quickly unwrapped at what seemed like light speed.

Following Tabby's nieces and nephews, Sarah and Jimmy took their places on Santa's lap together, allowing Ed and Jimmy's mothers to take several beautiful pictures of their children together. After presenting the two younger children of the cul-de-sac with their presents, Tabby turned her attention to the teenagers.

"Alright, c'mon whose up?" asked Tabby in a playful manner, "And none of that 'we're too cool for Santa teenager crap' everyone has to take a turn, it's Kanker tradition!"

"I'll go!" yelled May in an exuberant manner. The blonde girl shoved her cup into Eds hand, and proceeded to make her way towards the arm chair, planting herself down on Santa's lap.

As Tabby and her sisters proceeded to take pictures, Santa Claus decided to pose a question to May.

"So Annamae, what would you like for Christmas this year?" asked Santa.

May sighed.

"Nothing special," said May, "Just my friends and my sisters to be happy forever and ever. That's it, I really can't think of anything else. I just love Christmas!"

Santa giggled.

"Such a beautiful girl inside and out," said Santa as he reached into his bag, "I have something for you, but before I give it to you, you must make me a promise."

"What's that?" asked May in a somewhat confused manner.

"You can't open it until the stroke of midnight Christmas Day" said Santa as he revealed a rectangular prism shaped present from his sack, "Don't worry young lady, all of your friends and sisters will be held to the same promise. Can you do that?"

"Yes Santa!" said May excitedly.

"In that case, Merry Christmas!" said Santa as he handed the present to May.

"Thank you Santa!" yelled May, delivering a quick hug to the jolly old man prior to returning to her friends.

"Oooo, me next, me next!" yelled Ed as he suddenly ran in the direction of Santa. The large Ed boy promptly plopped himself down on Santa's right thigh, somewhat surprising the man and drawing several giggles from May and his friends.

"Santa!" yelled Ed, "It's me again, Ed..."

"Of course I know who you are," said Santa, "I know all of the children in the world, and guess what else I already know what you want for Christmas."

"You do?" asked Ed, "Oh boy, oh boy!"

Santa giggled.

"You always make others happy through your actions," said Santa, "And your enthusiasm for the holiday is unparalleled. I look forward to making your Christmas a special one."

At that point, Santa leaned toward his sack to retrieve Ed's present. His present was quite large, a three foot cubed box wrapped in bright red wrapping paper. It also seemed quite heavy, as Santa seemed to struggle with removing it; Eds father stepped in to assist with the process of presenting the gift to the tall boy.

"Merry Christmas Ed!" said Santa.

"Thank you so much Santa!" yelled Ed, "I love it, even though I have no idea what it is!"

Ed proceeded to rise off of Santa's lap, skip across the room towards his friends, and place his gift down on the floor with a smile.

"Damn Ed," said Eddy, "You got the jackpot present, it's huge!"

"Yeah, it is!" said Ed.

"C'mon, let's open it!" yelled Eddy as he began reaching for the wrapping paper.

"No no no mister," said Ed as he batted Eddy's hand away, "We promised Santa that we wouldn't open our gifts until Christmas, so that's what Ed's going to do!"

"Whatever ya say Lumpy!" said Eddy as he took a small sip of his soda.

At that point, Tabby turned towards the teenagers. Playfully acting as the referee and pace keeper, she decided to put the next teenager on the spot.

"Alright Double Dee!" said Tabby, "You're up!"

Double Dee remained in place for a few seconds, staring nervously across the room; after a few moments, Marie decided to deliver him a playful shove.

"What are you standing there for!?" asked Marie, "Go ahead and see Santa cutie!"

Double Dee smiled, at which point he slowly but surely made his way towards the smiling Santa Claus.

Santa smiled as the Sockheaded boy approached him, slowly but surely taking his seat while turning towards the crowd. As a multitude of flashes emitted from several of the traditional cameras peppered around the room, Marie stepped forward, quickly snapping a few photographs of Double Dee.

"So Edward," said Santa, "How are we doing on this fine evening?"

"Excellent Mr. Claus," said Double Dee, "I could not be happier witnessing my family and friends filled with joy, celebrating the beginning of the Yuletide season. After all of the trials and tribulations that had faced us leading up to this day, it is amazing to witness the love of our beautiful community at work."

Santa Claus emitted a belly laugh, typical of the jolly old man.

"Selflessness and integrity," said Santa, "Such noble character traits that deserve to be rewarded."

Santa Claus reached into his sack, and proceeded to remove a small package; an envelope sized gift wrapped in shiny red paper. With a smile, he held the present out towards Double Dee.

"Merry Christmas Edward," said Santa Claus.

Double Dee observed had present for a few moments, at which point he gazed into Santa's eyes. His ice blue eyes, shining from behind a small pair of spectacles appeared quite genuine; however as Double Dee stared into them, an expression of confusion appeared on his face. An expression seeming to convey the thought that he had seen the man within the costume somewhere before.

Nevertheless, Double Dee shook off his thoughts and proceeded to rise from Santa's lap while extending his hand towards Santa.

"Thank you so much Mr. Claus," said Double Dee as he shook Santa's hand, "Merry Christmas!"

Santa giggled as Double Dee made his way back towards his friends; Marie began walking toward the fat man, passing Double Dee her drink cup as she did so. Eventually, the black-haired girl took her seat on Santa's lap, smiling as the crowd took several pictures.

"Annemarie," said Santa playfully, "How's it feel to be spending Christmas with black hair again?"

Marie laughed at her " fathers" joke.

"Amazing," said Marie, "Such a big relief and a whole lot less expensive."

"Glad to hear," said Santa, "Sometimes the best thing to do is to put ones past behind them, and look forward towards the future."

At the sound of Santa's words, Marie glanced across the room, eventually laying eyes on Lee and Lindsay. The two girls were happily snapping pictures of Marie with Santa, in addition to taking various 'selfies' of themselves together as they shared laughs. The sight of Lee's genuine smile drew one from Marie as well, at which point she finally decided to respond.

"Yep," said Marie as she ran her fingers through her hair, "I guess so!"

Santa smiled, at which point he retrieved a 216 cubic inch box (6x6x6in), wrapped in green paper, and presented it to Marie.

"In that case, Merry Christmas Annemarie!" said Santa.

Marie delivered Santa a hug as she rose from his lap, and made her way back towards her friends. As she and Double Dee excitedly conversed about their gifts, Tabby once again decided to chime in.

"Alright Mr. McGee," said Tabby as she glanced across the room towards Eddy, "It's your turn buddy boy!"

As Lee and Lindsay cheered playfully, Eddy began to slowly walk in the direction of Saint Nick, blushing slightly as he glanced toward the floor. As his friends did before him, he took his place on Santa's lap, smiling awkwardly for the cameras.

"Eddy McGee," said Santa, "Have you been staying out of trouble?"

"I've been trying to," said Eddy.

"Well as you know, I've been keeping an eye on you all throughout the year," said Santa playfully, "And I must say, even though you are a rambunctious little imp, you certainly do have a heart of gold."

Santa retrieved a small rectangular box from his sack, a box similar in size and shape to those used to package clothing. He smiled heavily as he presented the box to Eddy.

"Merry Christmas my man," said Santa.

"Thanks Mr. C" said Eddy, "You're the man!"

Eddy and Santa shared a laugh regarding Eddy's unique methods of providing his thanks, at which point the small boy returned to his friends. After sharing a slight laugh with Lee, the redheaded girl turned toward her best friend. Lindsay, had retrieved her makeup mirror from her pocket, and was in the process of inspecting her eyeliner, distracted from her surroundings. Playing into Lindsay's distraction, Lee playfully pushed her friend into the center of the room, causing the the tall girl to hobble slightly forward.

"Lindsay's turn!" yelled Lee in a playful manner.

Lindsay turned towards Lee, delivering her friend a sarcastic glare for a few moments. To the cheers of Tabby and her father, she proceeded to make her way towards Santa, taking a seat on his left thigh while smiling towards the crowd.

As Tabby and Chuck proceeded to take several pictures of the smiling Lindsay, Santa decided to engage her in conversation.

"So Lindsay, what would you like this year for Christmas," said Santa.

"Hmm, I've got what I wanted already," said Lindsay as she gazed towards Lee, "But a few new bottles of pink nail polish wouldn't hurt."

Lindsay and Santa shared a laugh, at which point Santa handed Lindsay her gift; a small rectangular 5"x7" box wrapped in purple paper. The tall diva thanked Santa, at which point she made her way back towards Lee smiling from ear to ear.

One by one, the remainder of the cul-de-sac teenagers took they're place on Santa's lap, smiling merrily as they're families took pictures for remembrance if their special occasion. After the last teenager, Johnny, had their time with Santa, Tabby decided to invite the adults to take their place for pictures; however, her words were interrupted by May, who decided to interject with an important observation.

"Wait!" yelled May, "What about Lee, she didn't get a chance with Santa!"

"May, shut up..." said Lee, who preferred to remain out of the spotlight by choice.

"C'mon Annalee, I did it!" said Lindsay.

"Yeah Babe!" said Eddy, "Don't be a humbug!"

All of the teenagers began chanting the words "sit on Santa's lap" in a repetitive rhythm, as Tabby walked towards her eldest daughter.

"It is tradition, after all!" said Tabby with a sly grin.

A few moments passed at which point Lee rolled her eyes.

"Whatever!" said Lee as she walked towards Santa, attempting to hold back the genuine smile that was gradually overtaking her usual stoic expression.

Lee took her place on Santa's lap, placing her arm around his shoulder as she gazed out into the crowd. From the crowd, Eddy watched, beaming with joy upon seeing his girlfriends smiling face; a face of pure joy that was rarely seen, even by him. Likewise, Tabby paused for a few moments to take in the moment, staring at her daughter with her own two eyes prior to lifting her digital camera to snap a few pictures.

Santa giggled slightly.

"Annalee," said Santa, "Always the unique individual huh?"

"Yes Daddy," said Lee in a whisper, "You know it, and I own it."

"Such a fiery heart filled with compassion," said Santa, "You've always been that way, unafraid to be yourself and always willing to help others."

Santa reached into his bag, removing a present equal in size and weight to the one presented to Lindsay a few minutes ago; this one was however wrapped in paper of Lee's favorite color, green.

Lee stared at the present for a few moments, her blue eyes glistening under the living room lights from behind her glasses. She then proceeded to take hold of the present, and rise up from her position on Santa's laps, smiling heavily as she did so. She delivered a hug to the jolly old man, at which point she made her way back towards her friends.

Over the next ten minutes, Tabby invited an opportunity for all of the adults to join in on the fun, as well as families to collaborate around Santa for group pictures. Jimmy's family of three, as well as Eds family of four took advantage of the opportunity, taking beautiful photographs akin to those found in holiday advertisements. The van Bartonschmmer sisters posed for a photograph of their own, as did the Kanker family, including Tabby. Chuck and Lindsay shared a moment in the spotlight as well; lastly, of course, best friends Lee and Lindsay could not resist sharing the spotlight for a picture on Santa's lap together.

After several minutes of laughter, joy, and gift giving, it was finally time for Santa Claus to take his leave. The fat man stood up off of the arm chair, and made his way to the front door. As Tabby opened the door for the man to pass through, he wished everyone a very merry Christmas one final time. With one final wave, Santa disappeared out into the cold winter air, as Tabby closed the door behind him.

As Santa took his leave, the three Ed boys remained fixated on the door, all displaying radiant smiles. Of course, Double Dee was the first to break the silence.

"What a wonderful display!" said Double Dee, "How fitting for such an elaborate and joyous celebration!"

"Yeah," said Eddy, "Rod can really act, he should go into that professionally!"

Double Dee appeared slightly confused, pausing for a few seconds prior to responding.

"In all honesty," said a Double Dee, "I don't believe that was Mr. Lonergan."

"What are ya talking about Sockhead?" asked Eddy, "Of course it was Rod, who else would it be."

"I haven't the faintest," said Double Dee, "But I felt like I've seen them before!"

"You have Double Dee," said Ed in an exuberant manner, "It was Santa Claus of course! Eddy's just a spoil sport...tsk tsk Eddy saying that Santa is Rod, even after he gave you a present of your own."

"Whatever Lumpy" said Eddy, "I'm gonna go get some roast beef, I'm starving!"

As the three Ed boys returned to mingling, Tabby discretely made her way up the stairs to the upper level, intent on meeting Rod to congratulate him for a job well done. The redheaded woman was thrilled with Rods portrayal of Santa Claus; accordingly, she jogged up the stairs and down the hall at a rapid pace, bursting into her bedroom at full speed.

Within the bedroom stood Rod; he had apparently removed the fake beard and hat, and was in the process of working on unzipping the coat. To his surprise, Tabby practically ran over to him, jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. The surprise addition of weight caused the man to fall backwards onto the bed, finding himself pinned down by his wife who proceeded to repeatedly kiss his cheeks at rapid pace.

"You sweet, sweet SWEET man!" said Tabby as she pulled away to look into his eyes, "That was the most amazing Santa Claus I've ever seen. And you even went the extra mile by going out and getting everyone gifts! How the hell did you manage to pull that off without me even knowing? You made everyone so happy, I could just melt inside."

"Gifts for everyone?" asked Rod.

"Don't play dumb Roddy," said Tabby, "I don't care how much it costs, seeing everyone smile was well worth it!"

"But Tabb," said Rod, "I wish I could say I did, but I didn't buy gifts for everyone."

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Tabby as she rose up of of Rod, taking her place standing on the floor next to the bed, "You just put on an awesome Santa show downstairs, I saw it with my own two eyes."

"It couldn't have been me," said Rod as he reached for the coats zipper, "I've been struggling with the zipper for the last half hour, I still can't get it to close. I was just about to text your phone so you can get Annalee."

"Well someone just showed up and gave out presents as Santa Claus," said Tabby, "And it's not like it was Santa Claus himself..."

Tabby took a seat on the bed next to Rod, contemplating her thoughts for a few moments; as Rod rose up to a seated position, the red headed woman who remained focused on the wall, her face displaying an expression of confusion.


	93. Chapter 93

**Authors Note**

 _Hello everyone!_

 _Penultimate chapter coming your way! It's so exciting to see this finally wrap up after nearly a years worth of work, and I really enjoyed writing this little (well big actually) diddy._

 _We'll touch on all of that and what's next at the end of story...for now, here goes!_

 **Chapter 93**

A few hours had passed since the appearance of Santa Claus. The Kankers residence was much quieter than it had been over the last few hours, for all of the members of Rods family had taken their leave; the intent to put their small children to bed in preparation for the big day. The adults of the cul-de-sac had taken their leave as well, leaving their children to hang out amongst their friends in the Kankers den.

The only three adults remaining were Tabby, Rod, and Chuck, (who had finally been introduced to the former). The three adults had taken their place around the dining room table. To Tabby's chagrin, Chuck and Rod had spent the last half hour in a fit of laughter regarding stories of the adventures shared between Tabby and Tiff as children and teenagers, including a botched joy ride of Chuck's Mustang. Tiffany had inadvertently left the parking brake on at Tabby's direction, burning out the pads; in addition due to her lack of experience with the concept of the manual transmission, she had burnt out the clutch as well. At the time, Chuck was quite annoyed at the thought of his "baby" being damaged by his girlfriend and her friend, but eventually was able to look back on the moment and laugh.

Downstairs in the den, the teenagers of Rethink Avenue were having quite the rowdy time themselves. However, just as fatigue had begun to set in for many of the adults and their children, the same lethargic feelings were beginning to overtake some of the teenagers. With a slight yawn, Nazz took a glance at the wall mounted "cuckoo clock"; the time was 10:30, and the younger Van Bartonschmeer sister decided to take her leave.

"Well, I think I'm gonna turn in," said Nazz, as she rose up from the couch, "Kevin, will you walk me home...?"

Kevin, still seated on the couch, adopted a wide grin; Nazz had leaned into his ear to deliver her final line in the whisper register, slightly exciting the football star. Misinterpreting Nazz's amorous statement, the red hatted jock rose up off of the couch, adopting a standing position at what seemed like light speed.

"Sure babe," said Kevin, "Let's kick it!"

The couple thanked everyone for a wonderful time, at which point they made their way towards the stairs leading up to the upper level. As the remainder of the teenagers returned to their conversations, Lindsay remained focused on Nazz, seemingly deep in thought.

Just as the pixie-cut blonde placed her foot on the bottom stair, Lindsay decided to take action. The tall girl rose up from the couch, briskly making her way toward Nazz's position.

"Excuse me," said Lindsay as she tapped Nazz on the shoulder, prompting the girl to turn around, "van Bartonshmeer...no, Nancy. Sorry, force of habit. I just wanted to let you know I'm sorry for taking over the cheer squad and forcing you to quit. I know how much you love it, and you're way better at it than I could ever be. In fact, I hate cheerleading, I was only doing it to appease someone else. But that's not an issue anymore, so...here, take this."

At that point, Lindsay reached into her coat pocket and retrieved a small golden key. She lifted Nazz's right hand into the air with her left, placed the key into her palm, and used her right hand to gently close her fingers.

"What is this?" asked Nazz.

"Hello, didn't you read the charter?" asked Lindsay, "It states 'when the current cheer captain resigns her position, she reserves the right to appoint the new cheer captain, and must immediately turn over the key to the cheer locker room to the new nominee'"

Lindsay leaned down to eye level with Nazz.

"I officially resign," said Lindsay, "And I'm nominating you Nancy. Go make that cheer squad great again."

Nazz paused for a few moments; the fact that Lindsay had turned over a new leaf was still quite alien to the blonde girl, especially after months of living under her tyrannical shadow as cheer captain. Nevertheless, Nazz eventually managed to muster up a smile, and decided to respond.

"Thanks Lindsay," said Nazz, "You bet I will. Oh, and you can call me Nazz...it's way better than Nancy."

"Sure thing Nazz," said Lindsay, "Merry Christmas!"

Nazz thanked Lindsay again, at which point she and Kevin continued on their way towards the front door. Lindsay smiled as she observed Nazz complete her journey up the stairs, after which she turned to begin her trek towards the cooler for a drink.

As these events unfolded, Eddy and Lee had taken their position on the pull-out sofa; sharing jokes as they sipped soda from their red cups. As Lee giggled at one of Eddy's jokes, (nearly spitting out her soda in the process) she took notice of Lindsay, swaying her hips as she slowly walked across the room. The sight of her friend drew a smile from the tall redhead, as well as remembrance of her Christmas wish; the desire to rekindle her friendship with Lindsay. As thoughts of her fulfilled wish filled her head, she was reminded of some unfinished business regarding the holiday; perhaps the most important to her of all.

"Hey Eddy," said Lee.

"Yeah," said Eddy.

"Can you come upstairs to my room for a few minutes?" asked Lee as she rose up off of the couch, "I have something to show you."

"Sure," said Eddy as he followed Lee's lead, and proceeded to follow her to the stairs.

A few seconds was all it took for the couple to reach the entrance to Lee's bedroom. The eldest Kanker proceeded to gently push the door to the open position, causing it to emit an audible creak. With the flick of a switch, the lights mounted on the overhead ceiling fan came to life, bathing the red walls in a soft glow.

As Eddy entered the room, Lee closed the door behind him, leaving it slightly cracked rather than latching the handle as usual. Lee turned back towards Eddy, at which point the stout boy decided to break the silence with a joke.

"So Babe," said Eddy, "Whatcha got for me?"

Lee clicked her tongue.

"Sorry to disappoint ya," said Lee as she twirled a portion of her red curls, "As much as I would like to take advantage of us being alone in my room...I have something more important to take care of right now."

Eddy watched as Lee made her way towards her vanity; using a key drawn from her jeans pocket, she proceeded to unlock the left most drawer, and remove a small, rectangular shaped object, wrapped in shiny red paper. On top of the box, in the vicinity of one of the corners, was a small sticker depicting the likeness of Santa Claus, as well as the words, "Merry Christmas Eddy", written in Lee's handwriting.

Lee blushed slightly as she made her way back towards her boyfriend, her heels clicking loudly on the floor with each step.

"Merry Christmas Hun," said Lee as she held the gift out towards Eddy, "It isn't much, and it most certainly isn't an expensive custom ball gown, but I've been working on it for the past few weeks. It's something I've been wanting to get for you for a while, but...well you'll see let's keep it a surprise!"

Lee leaned down towards Eddy's face, adopting a cute smile as she placed her hand up to the side of her mouth.

"No peeking until you get home, okay sweetie?" said Lee.

Eddy smiled.

"You got it babe," said Eddy, "Thanks a lot, you're the best."

Lee delivered Eddy a quick kiss on the cheek, at which point Eddy placed the gift into his jeans pocket for safe keeping. The two teenagers then joined hands as they made their way out of the bedroom, and back downstairs to the lower level to join the party.

As these events transpired indoors, Nazz and Kevin had completed their trek down Rethink Avenue. The two were currently standing at the foot of the Van Bartonschmeers garage door. Nazz had directed Kevin to stand a few feet away, and to close his eyes, as she placed her hand on the small handle.

"Okay, no peeking until I say," said Nazz in a playful manner.

"Alright babe," said Kevin, "Let's get this show on the road, it's cold."

Nazz adopted an annoyed expression as she playfully slapped Kevin. She then proceeded to turn the handle to the unlocked position, freeing the door to open.

"Okay, here it goes," said Nazz as she suddenly flung the garage door upwards to an open position, "SURPRISE!"

Kevin proceeded to open his eyes, at which point a large smile appeared on his face. The jocks eyes seemed to glass over with tears of joy, as the boy suddenly dashed into the garage towards the object of his affection: his prized low rider bike, completely restored to factory conditions.

"My Bike!" yelled Kevin as he took hold of the bikes chrome frame, caressing the fabric of the banana seat as he did so, "My baby! I thought you were gone! I'm so happy to see you."

"I had it restored at the dealer in the city," said Nazz, "Sorry for scaring you, Merry Christmas Kev!"

Kevin slowly turned towards Nazz, his eyes beaming with joy as he did so. He then proceeded to stand up, slowly walking towards his girlfriend with a smile.

"Thanks babe," said Kevin as he placed his hands on Nazz's hips, "You're the greatest."

The couple proceeded to share a passionate kiss under the glow of Nazz's porch light; at the conclusion of the kiss, snow began to slowly trickle from the skies, beginning the process of blanketing the neighborhood in it's powdery texture. The couple remained silent, observing the snowfall, in addition to the flashing lights of the neighborhood Christmas display with radiant smiles.

By this time, nearly all of the holiday guests had vacated the Kanker residence. The three Ed boys, Lindsay, and her father were the only individuals remaining; the teenagers had relocated to the upper level, where they joined in on the adults conversation while enjoying holiday cookies.

In the midst of their fun-filled conversation, Double Dee decided to chime in with a compliment.

"Well Mr. And Ms. Lonergan," said Tabby, "I must say, you have put together an outstanding and wonderful celebration, and I am most certainly ecstatic that you have graciously invited me, and my family to take part."

"Hey, it's our pleasure," said Tabby, "You guys are like family after all, so it's only natural."

"Much appreciated," said Double Dee, at which point he glanced at his cell phone, "My oh my, look at the time. I must be getting home, mother and father expect me for our traditional Christmas breakfast at 6:00 a.m. sharp, and I would absolutely abhor being inactive due to lack of sleep."

"No problem cutie," said Marie as she made her way towards the upright piano (which had been relocated back upstairs following the winter talent show), "But before you go...how about a little song?"

At that point Marie touched her hands to the piano, played a few arpeggios in b flat as a warm up. She then proceeded to play a familiar melody, as her beautiful voice filled the air.

 _We wish you a Merry Christmas_

 _We wish you a Merry Christmas_

 _We wish you a Merry Christmas_

 _And a Happy New Year_

At that point, the three Ed boys, Lee, Lindsay, May, Tabby, Rod and Chuck, all rose from their seated position. They proceeded to gather around the piano, all with smiles on their faces as they leant their voices to the famous Christmas tune. As they did so, May and Ed joined hands, beaming with joy as they gazed into each other's eyes; Double Dee took a seat next to Marie, placing his arm around her as she gazed towards him with loving eyes. Lee placed her arm around Eddy's shoulder, as he pulled her closer towards him by placing his arm around her waist. Lee simultaneously placed her other arm around Lindsay, who responded by returning her friends loving embrace.

The three adults stood in the back of the crowd, all with smiles on their faces as they observed the love shared between their daughters and their friends. All three shared joyous expressions as they opened their mouth to join the chorus.

 _Good tidings we bringTo you and your kin;We wish you a merry ChristmasAnd a Happy New Year!_

 _We wish you a Merry Christmas_

 _We wish you a Merry Christmas_

 _We wish you a Merry Christmas_

 _And a Happy New Year!_


	94. Chapter 94

**Chapter 94**

The town of Peach Creek was tranquil; the hustle and bustle characteristic of the afternoon hours had quelled, as the cheerful voices of excited children and adults alike were replaced with a still silence. Outside, the snowfall that had begun around an hour ago continued to slowly blanket the town in a powdery white, it's flakes refracting and dimming the cream colored glow of the street lights as it did so. The Rethink avenue Christmas display continued to shine brightly, a reminder of the excitement to come the following day.

It was fifteen minutes to midnight, Christmas Eve; the magical night in which Santa Claus was said to make his yearly trip around the world, intent on delivering presents to every girl and boy. The lights within all of the properties lining the cul-de-sac were dark, for all of the denizens had retired to their beds, and immersed themselves in a world of dreams.

Well, almost everyone; within a small yellow ranch style house, Eddy McGee had just completed his nightly shower. After brushing his teeth, the teenager made his way into his 70's style bedroom, lit only by the soft glow of a table mounted lava lamp. With a slight smile, the small Ed boy decided to activate a table-mounted radio; the radio was tuned to a Christmas music station and was once again playing an a cappella choral version of the popular Christmas favorite, Silent Night:

 _Silent Night_

 _Holy Night_

 _All is calm_

 _All is bright_

As Eddy enjoyed the peaceful tune, he proceeded to take a seat on the edge of his bed. After taking a small sip of warm tea, he turned his attention to his night stand, on which sat his two presents; the one received from Santa Claus, and the other from Lee.

A few moments passed, at which point Eddy reached for the topmost box; the present from Santa Claus.

"What the hell," said Eddy to himself as he began unwrapping the box, "It's fifteen minutes early, but big deal."

The small Ed boy slowly removed the paper wrapping from his present, revealing a small box, the kind of which was typically used to package t-shirts. Wasting no time, Eddy opened the lid of the box, revealing what appeared to be a rather lengthy note handwritten in the cursive style, sitting on top of a piece of tissue paper. As Eddy removed the note from the box, bringing it up to eye level with an expression of confusion, he began reading it to himself; however, rather than his typical, obnoxious yet gritty sounding voice, the deep benevolent voice of Santa Claus filled his head as he silently transcribed the words:

 _Eddy,_

 _You've come a long way over the last year. While still something of a prankster, you have matured from a mischievous, immature imp, into a responsible, caring young man, and I couldn't be any more proud._

 _You have quite the colorful cast of friends, not to mention a beautiful and intelligent girlfriend who adores you more than anyone else in this world. That being said, I could not sit back and witness turmoil overtake your neighborhood. The spirit of the holiday was alive in you, I could sense it, you just needed a little encouragement to draw it out._

 _Little do you know, you and your friends actions have brought joy to millions. Your silly scams, Edds nervous nature and natural ability to "play the straight man", and Eds lovable oafish antics, have illicited too many laughs to count, and inspired countless form creativity in the form of original stories and art. For that reason, during this holiday season, I have secretly provided the opportunity for you and your friends to earn your Christmas wishes; trials meant to put your willingness to embrace the Christmas spirit to a test._

As Eddy continued to read his letter from Santa, his Sockheaded friend Double Dee had just completed the process of making his bed. After ensuring that the top sheet was completely dust and wrinkle free, the happy Ed boy took a seat on his bed while simultaneously taking a glance at his clock. After affirming the fact that it was 12:00 a.m., the rule-abiding Ed boy decided that it was finally time to open his gift.

In lieu of tearing the paper, as most did when unwrapping presents, the neat and meticulous Ed boy carefully removed the tape securing the folds at the end of the small and thin present. Once upon, he slowly and carefully removed a small white Christmas card.

On the front of the card was what appeared to be a cartoonish picture of Santa Claus; depicted in a sitting position, using a telescope to observe the happenings around the world from his North Pole Work Shop. His right eye was closed, as his over exaggerated left eye was being used to gaze into the small eye-piece of the apparatus. Below Santa Claus were a few words to accompany the photograph.

 _I've got my EYE on you!_

Double Dee smiled at the pun as he proceeded to open the card, at which point he discovered words written in the same cursive handwriting dictated in Eddy's letter.

 _And now she can look upon you with both of hers!_

 _Merry Christmas Edward, thanks for being a great kid!_

 _-Love, Santa Claus._

Double Dee stared at the card with an expression of both confusion and happiness for a few moments, at which point he reached his hand towards the interior of the card. He proceeded to take hold of several green pieces of paper, labeled with a photograph of a famous bespectacled founding father, that had been stuffed into a small pocket. His hand right shook out of as he removed the pile of bills, a smile appearing on his face as he proceeded to count each note. The total equated to one-thousand dollars, more than enough to cover costs associated with Marie's eye surgery.

Double Dee stared at the bills for a few moments, a tear appearing in his eye as he placed the cash down of his night stand. As he glanced toward the ceiling, a smile appeared on his face, as a small tear of joy began trickling down his face.

Across the street, in the Kankers residence, Marie and May had prepared for bed as well. The two girls had changed into their pajamas, brushed their teeth, and in Mays case, tied her hair up into a bun for sleeping. The two girls had spent the last few minutes chatting about the fun times spent with their boyfriends at the Christmas party earlier that evening, at which point they decided to open their presents.

In a flash, Marie (being much less meticulous, and more brash than her boyfriend) had torn open the ornate paper encasing the cubic box. On top of the white box was a small note, also adorned with the writing characteristic of Santa Claus.

 _Annemarie,_

 _You have a great head on your shoulders, and a caring heart. You've overcome so many obstacles in your life, embraced your inner selflessness and quelled your stubbornness. For that your dreams to make him happy have come true._

 _Merry Christmas,_

 _Love Santa._

Placed her hand over her mouth as she viewed the contents within the box; the wig she had planned to purchase, replicating Double Dee's natural hair from his younger days. As tears began to stream down her face, she glanced in the direction of May; to her surprise, she was met with a smile from her little sister, who had completed the process of unwrapping her gift. May held up her gift, a copy of the limited edition Slug-U-La magazine she had planned to purchase for Ed, smiling joyously in the direction of her sister as she did so. On the bed next to her sat a handwritten note, reading.

 _Annamae,_

 _Your caring and sweet soul is something to be proud of. People admire your good nature, especially your sisters and your loving boyfriend. Please don't ever change and never stop being May!_

 _Merry Christmas,_

 _Love Santa_

Further down the street, in a forest green cape cod style house, the large lovable oaf Ed had just completed the task of aligning his small sparse artificial tree, and placing cookies and milk on top of his console television in preparation of Santa's visit. After ensuring that all was ready for the jolly mans visit, the slim boy removed his green oversized coat, draping it over his arm chair as he kicked off his sneakers. The excited boy then sat on his bed, observing the second hand of his analog clock, his large present by his side as the device ticked ever so closer to midnight.

In a matter of seconds, the clock had reached midnight, at which point the large Ed boy proceeded to tear open the wrapping paper, scattering small shreds throughout his room in the process. Once unwrapped, Ed proceeded to open the brown cardboard box inside, revealing a small note of his own.

 _Ed,_

 _For the boy who always believed in me, even when others thought they were too old. She already adores her, but continuing to help fulfill her dreams couldn't hurt. This will hopefully come in handy to do so._

 _Love Santa_

Upon his completion of the note, Ed proceeded to dig through the styrofoam popcorn sea that was the interior of the box. Eventually, he came upon a large metal object, and used his immense strength to remove it from the box with one fluid motion. Ed's eyes widened as he came upon an object he had planned to purchase since the beginning of the season: a softball pitching machine. The tall Ed boy proceeded to hug himself as he adopted an innocent smile, dancing around the room while shouting "Oh Boy" as if he were an excited child on Christmas morning.

Around the corner, in the throws of Haventhought Way, the Statorowski house was quiet and dark. Chuck had gone to bed around a half hour ago, exhausted from the excitement of the Christmas party, as well as the excitement of rekindling his friendship with Tabby.

Lindsay herself was still awake; she had showered and prepared herself for bed by donning her typical green nightgown and placing her hair into a tight bun. Free of fear, and having no reason to keep her mother's legacy behind lock and key, Lindsay had spent the last half hour cleaning all of her mother's old school portraits and trophies, removing them from her lock box and arranging them on the shelves above her bed in full display. Upon completion of her task, the blonde girl smiled heavily as she stared at the shrine to her heroine, free to be on display without fear of being destroyed or stolen; just as it always should have been.

After adjusting the location of her mother's basketball trophy, Lindsay took a seat on top her her bed, taking her present from Santa in her hand as did so. After taking a deep breath, she proceeded to unwrap her present, revealing what appeared to be a wooden 8.5 x 11" picture frame. The glass was turned towards the floor; prior to turning the frame over for viewing, Lindsay removed a small note attached to the cardboard back with a piece of tape, and proceeded to read it.

 _Tiffany Lindsay,_

 _Well it appears you have made the right call! You've always had people who love and care for you, and you've always been the caring individual. Embracing the love of your friends has helped set you free, and your caring personality can flourish once again!_

 _Merry Christmas,_

 _Love Santa_

At that point, Lindsay slowly turned the frame over, revealing the contents kept hidden behind the glass. Her eyes widened with surprise as a familiar sight came into view; the drawing she had created with Lee back in Kindergarten. The drawing, complete with Lee and Lindsay's handwriting and their stick figure caricatures, had been framed for safe keeping; however, to Lindsay's shock, the torn drawing did not appear to repaired. Rather, it appeared to be in one piece, just as it was the day that she and her friend had created it.

As Lindsay stared at her present in awe, Lee (back in her own bedroom) had completed the process of unwrapping her present as well. The red headed girl sat in her red flannel pajamas, her bare feet planted on the floor as she clasped what appeared to be an exact replica of Lindsay's gift in her hands.

After staring at the complete drawing in confusion, Lee rose from her bed and proceeded to make her way towards her vanity. She spent a few seconds digging through her drawer, attempting to locate her half of she and Lindsay's drawing. After around five minutes of searching, she returned to her bed with an expression of confusion, unable to locate the small piece of paper she had kept under lock and key ever since she was five years old. While an she was an extremely logical young woman by nature, she couldn't help but wonder if some form of magic was the culprit for her missing half of the drawing, and her restored copy.

Bewildered and surprised, Lee took a seat on her bed. With a sigh, the stoic girl retrieved her thick glasses from her night stand, and proceeded to place the frames on her face. She then retrieved the small letter that had accompanied her present, and began to read it:

 _Annalee,_

 _You are such a smart, beautiful, and fiery young woman with a heart of gold and a passion for helping your friends. Over the course of the last few weeks, you have faced several challenges of integrity and selflessness, and while these challenges did prove quite difficult, you have rose to meet them as you always do. Your love for others is your greatest strength, and your trust in Eddy is most certainly warranted, after all, his devotion made your Christmas wish come true!_

 _Have a very Merry Christmas,_

 _Love Santa_

 _P.S. - My wife asked me to thank you so much for all of your help. She hopes you enjoyed your first dress!_

Upon completion of her letter, Lee slowly placed the letter on her knees. She then proceeded to gaze towards the ceiling displaying a radiant smile as she did so.

Back inside Eddy's room, the stout Ed boy remained on his bed, completely focused on his own letter from Santa Claus. After yawning ever so slightly, he returned his attention to the page, and completed the process of reading the text.

 _Fortunately, all of of your friends had passed their tests with flying colors, just as I expected they would. I am also happy to say that you have as well; your love for Annalee is unparalleled, and although you did need a slight push to uncover the root cause of her angst, you took it upon yourself to solve the problem, and to ensure her complete happiness._

 _Unlike your friends, inside this box you will not find your Christmas wish. Someone else has fulfilled your greatest wish, as you will find out later tonight; just as you have fulfilled Annalee's. Instead, inside this box you will find a personal gift from me that I believe you will enjoy. Remember...I see all! Hohoho._

 _Merry Christmas Eddy, may it be a blessed one,_

 _Love Santa_

 _P.S. I've enjoyed the time we spent together, the card games, the little chats, and the zany discussions over hot chocolate. You're a good kid, and to quote you, you do have 'mad tree throwing skills'...do you believe me now when I said our chat outside my shack wouldn't be the last time we talked?_

 _Stay cool! Hohoho_

Eddy placed the note down on his bed, and proceeded to stare at the far wall with an expression of shock and confusion. Eventually, the small boy shook away his feelings, and proceeded to remove the tissue paper from the box, revealing a framed photograph: the photograph taken during Eddy's mishap with Ed and the mall Santa, depicting the exact moment of impact with Santa and the large Ed boy, and the inadvertent removal of the mall Santa's beard.

Eddy smiled as he lifted the picture up towards his face, uttering a few words to himself.

"Son of a bitch..." said Eddy, after which he glanced towards the ceiling, "Well pal, thanks for all of the help...Merry Christmas."

Eddy rose up off of his bed and made his way towards his dresser. He extended the brace located on the rear of the frame, and placed the picture on the surface in an upright position. After admiring the documentation of his stunt for a few moments, the small Ed boy returned to his bed, at which point he took notice of his second package; the red wrapped present provided earlier that night by his girlfriend Lee.

After staring at his package for a few minutes, curious at what could possibly be inside, he took hold of it in both his hands. In a slowly and deliberate manner, he proceeded to peel away the red wrapping paper, revealing what appeared to be a small notebook. The book was pink in color, with a shiny red spine. On the front of the cover were a few words, written in gold lettering, beautiful sculpted by Lee's amazing handwriting skills in the cursive style:

 _To my Eddy McGee_

Eddy stared at the bright golden letters for a few moments, smiling brightly as he did so, prior to opening the book to it's first page. It contained a few words, written in the same cursive style using black ink:

 _I'd like to share a story, a story quite near and dear to me._

 _It's a story of a girl who was once lost, empty, and lonely._

 _A girl whose life seemed to consist of a series of unfortunate events_

 _A girl who trusted nobody, except for her close knit family_

Eddy turned the page, revealing a brand new page containing the same cursive handwriting as the first. However, this page was accompanied by a photograph of Lee as she appeared during junior high picture day; her unkempt appearance adopted from the night before she moved to Peach Creek, until the night she restored her original appearance at Double Dee's party months ago.

 _She was told she'd leave the city for the town of Peach Creek, where she'd be able to start a brand new life. As afraid as she was, she had to be strong for her sisters, for her family, for herself. Her fear overtook her, as much as she hated to admit it. She stopped caring for herself, feeling powerless to control her life . She wondered what trials this new life would bring. Would she be hurt emotionally as she had been so many times before? Or would she and her sisters be accepted as they had always desired to be?_

Eddy turned the page, revealing another paragraph of handwriting.

 _On her second day in town, while hanging her laundry outdoors, the loud and obnoxious voice of a boy filled the air; little did she know that this particular somewhat annoying voice (Lee inserted a playful smiley face with a wink in her writing) would eventually be one she looked forward to hearing each and every day._

 _Eddy turned the page._

 _This girl was quite rambunctious; angry and untrusting, shaped by horrible past experiences. She unfortunately took these frustrations out on others, especially the boy with the obnoxious voice. They met for the first time in the swamp; he was coveralls and coated in murky water and mud. Against his wishes, she brought him back to her modest trailer, stripped him of his soiled garments, and made did her best to make him feel at home. His first direct words to her, words which she will never forget were, "Uh, do you girls know where our clothes are?", to which she simply replied, "Oh they're drying outside. You boys sure were dirty."_

Eddy giggled upon reading Lee's memory of their first encounter, one which he would never be able to forget as well. He then decided to continue reading.

 _Unfortunately, she nagged him nearly to death, scaring he and his friends away, while driving a proverbial wedge between them. Over the course of the year, the two often met, bickering over trivial matters such as control of a treehouse, and 'Canadian Squirt Guns'...and who could forget when his dreams of being tall were cut short with the swift kick of her boot? Not that he needed to be tall anyway, because he is and always will be a big man at heart._

Eddy turned the page, at which point he came across a photograph taken during the afternoon of their adventure in the old abandoned house; a few minutes after the Kankers had pronounced they and the Eds "husband and wife". In the photograph, (taken by Marie during the course of "Honor thy Ed"; between the wedding ceremony and the scene in which the Eds pull the wedding wagon away) Lee stood front and center, donning a makeshift white dress as she squeezed Eddy (still in his tuxedo decorated barrel) around the neck. While Lee adopted a sly, toothy grin in the direction of the camera as her red curls obscured her eyes, Eddy appeared to be quite distressed; his face was red, and every breath he took seeming to be a struggle.

 _At the encouragement of her sisters, she administered a playful wedding ceremony. Although she was just along for the ride, she found comfort in standing next to the boy, solace in the fact that if they really were to be married, it wouldn't be all that bad._

 _The month's flew by, and she soon found herself in quite the predicament. Her two baby sisters, girls she had raised since they were toddlers, had found themselves boyfriends, the friends of the cute loudmouthed boy. She was happy for her sisters, for they had found men they could trust; trust being an issue which she struggled with throughout her life. While used to being a role model to her sisters, little did they know that their willingness to take chances would soon rub off onto her._

Eddy turned the page

 _On a cold day in February, she decided to take a risk. She decided to shatter the wall she had created, the tough girl persona she attempted to portray out of fear of her new surroundings. She restored her original appearance, and decided to attend her friends party, something she had never anticipated due to fear of social gatherings._

 _She soon encountered her handsome crush, dressed in red and donning those corny sunglasses (that she is going to THROW OUT if she ever gets a hold of lol)_

Eddy giggled at Lee's last line, prior to continuing.

 _They conversed in the den behind the French doors; she was scared, nervous, and very hesitant to let her guard down, but she managed to overcome her fears. For the first time, she allowed someone outside of her family to see who she truly was; she trusted the boy, spilling her guts, sharing her secrets._

 _Of course, she was scared that he would think even worse of her than he had before, upon learning of her troubled past. But the boy did no such thing, rather he comforted the girl, he made her feel special, and he allowed her to let go of her feelings of animosity towards the opposite sex. She knew she could trust him, and he's had her heart ever since._

Eddy turned the page to find two photographs of he and Lee.

The first photograph depicted the final moments of Eddy and Lee's ballet performance; in fact, it was the same exact picture that Lee had temporarily removed from the schools bulletin board to make a copy. It depicted Eddy cradling a tutu clad Lee in his left hand, as she leaned slightly backward while executing a ballet pose under the stage spotlights.

The second photograph depicted Eddy and Lee during the course of their formal dance the previous night. The moment had been captured by the camera of Mays cell phone, and depicted Eddy, wearing formal tuxedo, and Lee, donning her emerald green custom winter ball gown as they shared their beautiful dance. May had caught the two in a moment of deep affection; Lee with her arms wrapped around Eddy's neck, stared down into his eyes with a loving smile as Eddy returned the gesture, blushing slightly as he did so.

Below the photographs, the written text continued.

 _From the stage, to the dance floor, everyday is a new adventure, and she couldn't be happier sharing it with her amazing boyfriend._

Eddy turned the page to find the final paragraph of text. In this particular paragraph, Lee had altered the perspective from one of third person to that of first person, choosing to refer to herself in a biographical manner.

 _They say that one never forgets their first love; but I hope I never am put into the position where I am forced to forget about mine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you in person yet, (it's sometimes hard for me to express my feelings, but I promise I will tell you with words eventually), but I love you more than anything Eddy McGee. I never want to let you go._

 _Merry Christmas_

 _Love,_

 _Annalee Grace XOXO._

Eddy re-read the last few lines of the journal around a dozen times; each time, becoming seemingly more excited as he did so. His greatest question had finally been answered; Lee had finally confirmed that she loved him back, and while the admission came in the form of a text based Christmas present in lieu of words, the prospect could not be any less powerful.

Completely satisfied wi h his Christmas present, Eddy gently closed the book and placed it on the night stand adjacent to his lava lamp. He then slowly reached for his cell phone, tapped the "contacts" icon, and scrolled through his list until he found Lee's name.

The small Ed boy proceeded to slowly compose a text message. It was short and sweet, but carried much more emotional power than any other he had sent before:

 _I love you too Annalee._

Using his thumb, Eddy tapped the "send" icon, whisking his beautiful message into the inbox of his girlfriend's phone. He remained completely still, focused on the screen of his phone as he awaited her response.

In a matter of seconds, a small ping emitted from the phones speaker, indicating that a text message had arrived. Lee's response was even simpler than his; a single emoticon depicting a beating red heart, followed by a smiley face.

Eddy slowly placed his phone down on his nightstand, smiling heavily as he plugged the device to it's power cable for an overnight charge. He then placed his head on his pillow, staring up up at the ceiling with an amorous grin, completely at peace and satisfied with the outcome of the holiday season. He then proceeded to close his eyes, hoping to dream of the wild and crazy adventures the future had in store for he, his girlfriend, and his amazing friends.

 **The End**

 ** _Authors Note:_**

 _Wow...Now that was a doozy!_

 _Can you believe that at one point I actually believed that this would be finished by last Christmas, despite being started near the end of last October? To be fair, I did not expect the story to be this epic, the original concept was much more condensed; the main antagonist and several character relationships changed during the course, requiring some alterations and more character development. In addition, unlike Bad Girls with Big Hearts, the ensemble cast concept of this one seemed to draw the length out substantially._

 _Do I have any regrets in doing so? Absolutely not! I love how this turned out, and I am so glad I was able to develop an OC of my own (an OC that is the complete opposite of me by the way), who I grew to love and see as my own way to add to the awesome EEnE universe._

 _Now to the important stuff._

 _I want to thank each and every one of you have have taken the time to read this story! You don't know how much it means to me to receive your feedback, and to know that you have stuck by me from the beginning to the end. You guys truly are the greatest, and are the reason why I picked up the proverbial pen and chugged out around three or four chapters a day, looking forward to releasing the next chapter for your reading pleasure...you guys rock!_

 _So...what's next?_

 _Well you guys voted a few weeks ago, and the result was a Halloween Themed Short Story, set to take place after MandM. I look forward to bringing this to you guys; however it will not be coming right away. Writing (and especially writing well) takes a LOT of time and effort, and Miracles and Mistletoes was a massive undertaking. That being said, I am going to take a hiatus from writing to recover, switching my focus to videos and art for a while, prior to starting work on anything new. Thanks for understanding._

 _Please check out my Deviantart account (TheKiltedEngineer) on which I have, and will continue to, upload several pieces of art related to the story. These include character models of my OCs, and scenes from the story. I hope you enjoy them._

 _Also, now that I have my recording software established, I have another proposition for you all. Just as I attempted to do post BGwBH, I am planning to do a "Youtube QandA", so to speak, in which I receive questions related to the story from my fans, and respond personally with my own voice via a YouTube video. Accordingly, please PM me any questions you would like me to answer regarding the story, and they will find their way into the video._

 _Speaking of YouTube, please subscribe to my account "KiltedEngineer", for future videos related to my fanfiction career, including updates and substantiating information to the stories. In addition, if you enjoy video games, please check out my ongoing series of Let's Plays, I'm which I provide my own personal spin on classic video games as I play through. I have completed Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, and Banjo Kazooie is currently in progress. I hope you enjoy them!_

 _Last, but certainly not least...the Philadelphia Eagles play the Green Bay Packers in a half hour at the time of this upload on Thursday night football...Go EAGLES!_

 _Until we meet again!_

 _-KiltedEngineer_


	95. Epilogue

_Hello Fans,_

 _Following the precedent set by Bad Girls with Big Hearts, I decided to whip up a short epilogue to Miracles and Mistletoes. This was meant to be released a couple weeks ago, on the anniversary of the publishing of the story, but had to be delayed due to other priorities regarding my job and personal life._

 _Well without further ado, here it is. It's not much, but I hope you all like it!_

 **Epilogue**

Six days had passed since the miraculous Christmas that had brought selfless joy to loved ones, and rekindled beautiful friendships. Since that faithful day, Ed and May had been hulled up in the confines of Ed's basement room, their eyes scanning the pages of Eds brand new, limited edition, Slug-U-La magazine in complete synchronization as they took small sips of soda and handfuls of snacks. The couple had stopped only to sleep, and to allow May two hours a day at batting practice with her new automatic pitching machine. The girls skills at batting had sharpened substantially, and Rods wallet certainly thanked Ed for the lack of recently broken windows.

Double Dee and Marie had spent their winter break enjoying their friends, as well as each other company. Their most recently excursion was an ice skating trip with Double Dee's little cousin, Claire. While Claire and Marie were quite well versed at the art of ice skating, Double Dee's inexperience was quite highlighted; he had only been ice skating once before (on a trip with Marie and her sisters) and struggled to keep up with the two rambunctious girls. While the two women, who shared a somewhat big sister/little sister relationship, playfully teased him, there was no doubt that Double Dee was having the time of his life.

The ice skating excursion also happened to be the first time that Double Dee was able to don his new wig in public. For the first time in ten years, Double Dee appeared as he did prior to receiving his horrific injuries; his hair was an exact replica of his natural hairstyle, consisting of long straight hair, parted on the side and hanging slightly below his ear lobes. Marie couldn't have been happier for her "handsome boyfriend" and was both looking forward to (and quite nervous for) her eye surgery, set to take place a few weeks from now. In a couple of months, Marie would be able to look upon her boyfriend with both of her eyes, a prospect which excited her tremendously.

After her spectacular win at the talent show, Lee's status as a ballerina continued to grow and flourish. Following her performance, she had been approached by several of her classmates, as well as mothers of young girls that were present in the audience, requesting advice on how to get started on studying the classical dance form. Naturally, Lee pretended to loathe the requests and praise at first, but following her beautiful Christmas experience, decided to fully embrace her status as the "Peach Creek High Ballet Queen". She had offered to start a ballet club upon returning to school in January, an extra curricular activity that would focus on ballet fundamentals and history of the art for all interested. She had also offered her services as a teacher to younger girls at her home on Wednesday nights, achieving a head start on her desired career as a teacher (though she desired to teach high school mathematics as her future career, in lieu of ballet).

Lee had found several familiar faces in her home studio for practice; Lindsay, Sarah, Jimmy, and Julia had decided to join in on the action. While most participated merely for fun, Sarah had joined with the intention of proving herself as a ballerina in her own right. Due to already having several months of training, Sarah had advanced rather quickly; despite their turbulent past and Sarah's tendency to act like a spoiled brat, she had with developed a relationship of respect with her tutor. Of course, Eddy was called upon to assist the lessons, serving as a proverbial "lifting and catching point" for the budding ballerinas to practice jumping into a danseurs arms.

In addition to her new source of enjoyment as a ballet tutor, Lee continued to compose and practice routines of her own; creations tailored to Eddy's style of dance. As they had promised each other the night of their performance, the two spent their Friday nights in the Kanker's basement, happily sharing a mutual hobby as a couple. Despite his hesitation to learn the nuances of ballet, due to fear of being ridiculed as well as fear of not being able to execute the maneuvers, Eddy had become quite the skilled dancer and had found enjoyment in he art. That coupled with the fact that he was doing it all with Lee, the girl he loved and that he now knew loved him back, made him the happiest young man in Peach Creek. Lee could not be anymore happy as well, for her reunification with Lindsay, in addition to Eddy's love, had finally allowed her to fully let go of her past. Although the tall red head continued to playfully tease and poke fun at her boyfriend, there was no doubt that she had fallen head over heels in love with the small boy, and had fully embraced her trust in him.

Lindsay, now free of the torment imposed on her by Edyta Babik, wasted no time rebuilding her life. Her arm wounds had begun healing for the final time, thankfully leaving little to no scarring; this prospect greatly excited the blonde fashionista, as she would be able to pick out "cute sundresses and swimsuits" when the summer weather eventually returned. In addition, Chuck was excited with the prospect of having more time with his "Little T"; with Edyta gone, there was nothing holding Lindsay back from spending time with her father, just as she always did when she was a little girl.

After her tearful tirade regarding spending more time with Chuck at the Kankers house on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, Chuck was struck with a bought of inspiration. The next morning, he woke Lindsay up from her slumber at 6:00 a.m., exuberantly prodding the lethargic girl to get out of bed and come downstairs. Despite her love of the holidays, mornings were definitely not Lindsay's favorite thing, especially when she was not allowed time to fix her "bed head" and makeup prior to leaving the confines of her room. As the girl rubbed her eyes and yawned, Chuck lead her down stairs and through the living room.

With Edyta out of the picture, a large 6 foot by 4 foot portrait had once again taken it's rightful place over the living room fireplace; the portrait depicted the diminutive, white tuxedo-clad figure of Chuck, standing behind the much taller and slim figure of his wife, who donned an ornate wedding dress and veil. Lindsay smiled as she passed the much welcome sight as Chuck led her toward the garage; inside, she was met with quite the surprise.

A new vehicle had occupied the vacant space next to Chuck's Cadillac; a 1976 Chevrolet Nova super sport two door coupe. The car had seen much better days; it's candy apple red paint was rusted in several places, and it's interior was completely bare of upholstery. It's wheels had been removed, with it's axles sitting on four cinder blocks for support.

The blonde diva was quite surprised when Chuck suddenly tossed her a set of keys, which she briefly juggled due to her lack of athletic coordination. Chuck had purchased the car from a salvage yard 16 years ago, keeping it in storage until the time was right for him to fulfill his dream of rebuilding it with his future son (fate had it that he was blessed with a daughter, but according to him "what difference does one sex chromosome make?").

Understanding Lindsay's shared (but un admitted) love for classic automobiles, as well as her desire to spend time with him, he had finally decided to execute his plan. He informed Lindsay that she would have to help him complete it by summer time, at which point she'd be eligible for her drivers license. According to Chuck, she would also require some form of transportation to her upcoming summer job at Imaging Science International, where she would assist the executives in keeping the company her mother had led so many years ago on track. Chuck joked, "The boys down there are going to shit themselves when I introduce you to them. They'll think their former boss has been reincarnated!"

Lindsay happily agreed to working on the car with her father, on the condition that she could do all the interior upholstery and only hand him tools during the "gross greasy parts". Chuck simply placed his hand on his daughters face, drawing a smile from her.

Of course, Lee and Lindsay wasted absolutely no time picking up where their friendship had left off. The two were once again rarely seen without each other, exploring new ways to use their unique skill sets to the benefit of "L-Squared" (as they called themselves) as a whole. Lee composed her own ballet routines, for which Lindsay would design and fabricate the costumes. Lindsay also found herself as Lee's personal stylist, (being the only person other than her allowed to touch her red curls), as well as providing her professional grade manicures. They studied and did their homework together, Lindsay assisting Lee with English, while Lee tutored her in Algebra II. In addition, Lee found solace in using her chemistry skills to develop various original scented perfumes, as well as her own original blend of other beauty products; these were easily marketed by the boisterous and personable Lindsay, and became the hit of the schools monthly potlucks with the female student body. They labeled their concoctions "L&L", finally fulfilling a dream that they had had since they were little girls. Of course, their friendship was not complete without friendly teasing; Lindsay would often poke fun of Lee's fear of roaches (which she ironically was also terrified of), just as Lee would always taunt Lindsay regarding the redhead catching Lindsay in an act of a near kiss with Rolf during Chuck's New Years Eve party.

What new adventures will our favorite thirteen teenagers face next? Nobody knows, but whatever it may be, the adolescents had no doubt that that they will be sharing them in the love light of their amazing, tight knit group of friends.


End file.
